Iowa State University, Department of Economics
Introduction to Financial Markets

ECON 490 (1 credit)

Spring 2000

 

Professor:

M. KILKENNY

Dept of Economics

565 Heady Hall

294-6259

 

office hours:

Tu/Wed

3:-5:00pm

or by appt.

e-mail: kilkenny@iastate.edu

 

Text: The Economics of Money, Banking, and Financial Markets (5th Edition, 1998) by Frederic S. Mishkin; Addison Wesley

When:

Where:

Prerequisites: Introductory Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (Econ 101 and Econ 102)

Homepage: http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ490/kilkenny

Homework:
(1) Read assigned material (see attached syllabus). Additional assigned readings will be posted via clickable links from the course webpage. (2) Exercises are posted on the homepage. Assignments are due the each Friday by 3:30pm Monday noon by e-mail to kilkenny@iastate.edu . No late homework is accepted. Graded assignments will be returned via e-mail within one week.


Grading: A 490 course can be taken only P/F. The course grade is based on assignment performance. Students are graded on the material. There is no 'curve.' To pass the course, students must demonstrate mastery of 60% of the assigned material.

 

Week

Topics

Chapter

1/10-14

Money and the Macroeconomy:

definitions, trends, stylized facts

Ch 1

1/17-21

Financial Instruments:

money market, capital market

Ch 2

1/24-28

Rates of Return: discounted present value, yield, nominal/real, capital gains, interest rate risk

Ch 4

1/31-2/4

Asset Demand and Pricing: portfolio choice, risk, diversification, capital asset pricing

Ch 5 ( & MA4)

2/7-11

Loanable Funds Market the determination of interest rates and bond prices

Ch 6

2/14-18

Indirect Finance: asymmetric information, adverse selection, moral hazard, principal-agent problems

Ch 9