This module is designed to introduce core economics reasoning about the fundamental businesses of commercial banking and investment banking. Those of the former can be classified roughly into two categories, financial intermediation and money creation, while those of the latter are mainly concerned with security issuance and merger and acquisition.
For each of them, as a viable business, the following questions naturally arise.
1) What and how is the value added by this business?
2) How is it provided in terms of contractual arrangements?
3) What are the implications of these contractual arrangements for the banking industry and the whole economy?
It shall be underlined that the module will focus on economics reasoning and not be detailed in the practical side of the banking businesses, of which more material is provided in the EBS module BE610, Introduction to Banking. Students are encourage to audit, if not register, this module, besides to read the Economist weekly and the Financial Times most days. Moreover, students will find google and wiki useful to check the meaning of unfamiliar terminologies.
Feedback for this module will occur through class meetings where we will go over the answers to problem sets and where you will be able to ask questions about your own method of solution; answers that will be posted on the website for the module that will give you written guidance on the appropriate method to approach the problems, assignments, and tests; and office hours where any additional questions can be addressed. You should be sure that you use these methods to understand how to improve your own performance.