Financial Institutions

Week 1 Introduction:
Financial System and Financial Intermediation

Mishkin (2009): Chapter 1

Why Study Financial Markets and Institutions?

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 Why Study Financial Markets?

Financial markets, such as bond and stock

markets, are crucial in our economy.
1. These markets channel funds from savers
to investors, thereby promoting economic
efficiency.
2. Market activity affects personal wealth, the
behavior of business firms, and economy
as a whole

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 Why Study Financial Markets?

• Well functioning financial markets, such as

the bond market, stock market, and foreign
exchange market, are key factors in
producing high economic growth.

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 Why Study Financial Markets?
Debt Markets & Interest Rates

• Debt markets, or bond markets, allow

governments, corporations, and individuals
to borrow to finance activities.
• In this market, borrowers issue a security,
called a bond, that promises the timely
payment of interest and principal over
some specific time horizon.
• The interest rate is the cost of borrowing.

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 Why Study Financial Markets?
Debt Markets & Interest Rates

• There are many different types of market

interest rates, including mortgage rates, car
loan rates, credit card rates, etc.
• The level of these rates are important.

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 Bond Market and Interest Rates

Complete list of interest rates

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases 1-6
 Why Study Financial Markets?
The Stock Market

• The stock market is the market where common

stock (or just stock), representing ownership in a
company, are traded.
• Companies initially sell stock (in the primary
market) to raise money. But after that, the stock
is traded among investors (secondary market).
• Of all the active markets, the stock market
receives the most attention from the media,
probably because it is the place where people get
rich (and poor) quickly.

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 Why Study Financial Markets?
The Stock Market

• The next slide shows the level of the Dow

Jones Industrial Average over the last 55
years. Note how volatile stock prices have
been, especially over the last five years.

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Stock
Market
 Why Study Financial Markets?
The Stock Market

• Companies, not just individuals, also watch

the market. Although corporations don’t
typically ―invest‖ in the market, they often
seek additional funding in equity markets
after going public. The success of these
seasoned-equity offerings (SEOs) is very
dependent on the current price of the
company’s stock.

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 Why Study Financial Markets?
The Foreign Exchange Market

• The foreign exchange market is where

international currencies trade and
exchange rates are set.
• Although most people know little about this
market, it has a daily volume around
$1 trillion!

View historical financial data and forecasts at

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved. http://www.forecasts.org/data/index.htm 1-11
 Why Study Financial Markets?
The Stock Market

• The next slide shows how the U.S. dollar

has fluctuated in price against a basket of
foreign currencies.
– When the dollar strengthens, foreign purchase
of domestic goods falls, and US manufacturers
experience a decreased demand for their
goods.

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 Foreign Exchange Market

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 Why Study Financial Institutions?

We will also spend considerable time discussing

financial institutions—the corporations, organizations,
and networks that operate the so-called ―marketplaces.‖
These institutions play a crucial role in improving the
efficiency of the economy. We will look at:

1. Central Banks and the Conduct of

Monetary Policy
– The role of the Fed and foreign counterparts
2. Structure of the Financial System
– Helps get funds from savers to investors

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 Why Study Financial Institutions?

3. Banks and Other Financial Institutions

– Includes the role of insurance companies, mutual
funds, pension funds, etc.

4. Financial Innovation
– Focusing on the improvements in technology and its
impact on how financial products are delivered

5. Managing Risk in Financial Institutions

– Focusing on risk management in the
financial institution.

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