ECONOMIA DEGLI INTERMEDIARI FINANZIARI
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Attending the course is easier for students with basic knowledge of management, micro and macroeconomics, financial maths, private and commercial law.
The final exam will be oral, and it will take about 30 mins (face-to-face examination or remote exam, in accordance with University’s guidelines for COVID-19 medical emergency).
Mid-term exams are scheduled.
The first mid-term exam (end October), that covers topics referred to Part I of the course program, lasts 40 minutes and includes 3 questions with short answers (definitions) and 2 with long answers.
The second intermediate exam, which can be accessed only if the first exam is not failed (i.e., score at least 18 out of 30 points), consists of an oral exam, that will take about 15 minutes.
In the case the University’s guidelines for COVID-19 medical emergency will force to switch to remote exams, the first mid-term exam will be an online quiz via the e-learning platform, composed by 20 “closed-ended questions” to be solved in 30 minutes. In the case of positive mid-term result (at least 18 points over 30), student may access to the final exam at the end of semester, covering topics included in Part II of the course program. The second intermediate exam will be oral, as described above.
The final grade will be the average of Part I’s score and Part II’s score.
No difference applies in course and exam program between attending and non-attending students.
No other forms of evaluation can be applied.
The course gives basic elements about the structure and the functioning of markets and financial intermediaries. Specific topics also relate to structure, activities, and operational tools of banking, insurance, and markets intermediaries, and basic elements for securities’ valuation as well. The course gives also basic information about costs and yield of financial instruments, banking and insurance contracts and financial market operations.
After attending the course, the student will be able to:
- describe and analyze different functions of financial markets and intermediaries and linkages among them;
- detect and describe main differences among financial contracts (banking, insurance and pensions, and market instruments) and their linkage to families and firms’ financial needs;
- describe operating activities, revenues and costs for banks, insurance companies and other financial intermediaries (e.g., asset management firms, specialized financial and credit intermediaries);
- describe and analyze objectives and activities of regulation and supervision on financial intermediaries and markets.
Moreover, at the end of the course the student will be able to:
- understand and use main financial technical terms. The student will be able to understand, summarize and critically evaluate specific literature and financial news on fundamental financial topics.
- evaluate risk and return of simple financial securities and understand main topics on the functioning of financial system (risks and performance drivers).
Part I - The financial system: functions, intermediaries, markets, and regulation (40 hours, 6 CFU/ECTS).
1. Main functions of the financial system (8 hours)
2. Financial contracts and risks related to banking and financial intermediation (4 hours)
3. Intermediation function (12 hours)
4. Money and payment systems (2 hours)
5. Transmission mechanism of monetary policy (some remarks) (2 hours)
6. Financial markets: some definitions (3 hours)
7. Financial intermediaries (6 hours)
8. Regulation and supervision (3 hours)
Part II – Selected topics on banking (10 hours, 2 CFU/ECTS))
9. European regulation and supervision of banks. The SSM (4 hours)
10. Banking governance (4 hours)
11. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in banks (2 hours)
A detailed timetable for lessons and topics will be published in the course e-learning page (https://elearning3.uninsubria.it).
See the section “Contents".
Mandatory Handbooks:
Part I:
- A. Ferrari - E. Gualandri - A. Landi - P. Vezzani (2020), Il sistema finanziario: funzioni mercati e intermediari [it], 7th Edition, G. Giappichelli Editore Torino, chapters I, II, III (only paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4), IV (except paragraph 6), V (only paragraphs 1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4), VI, VII (Boxes 1, 2 and 3 to be considered as “reading materials”).
- A. Ferrari - E. Gualandri - A. Landi - V. Venturelli - P. Vezzani (2017), Strumenti e prodotti finanziari: bisogni di investimento, finanziamento, pagamento e gestione dei rischi, G. Giappichelli Editore, Torino, chapter VIII.
Part II:
Materials will be available in the e-learning page.
The teacher can suggest (if requested) an English handbook.
Learning materials (slides and exercises) will be uploaded in the course’s e-learning web page. Slides are published before each lecture.
THE LECTURER HAS NOT DELIVERED NOR AUTHORIZED NOTES OR RECORDING OF LESSONS OR SUMMARIES.
According to University’s guidelines for COVID-19 medical emergency, in the first semester of academic year 2021/22, the course will have face-to-face lessons, given by the official teacher.
At the same time, lessons will be broadcasted via the platform Microsoft Teams, in accordance with the timetable uploaded in the course’ webpage.
Recording of lessons is not allowed. In the e-learning page students will also find slides and other online materials. In the final page of each group of slides, a list of main topics and some questions for checking exam preparation are reported.
Seminars and other initiatives on specific topics in the course could be organized. In the e-learning page students will find a simulation of the examination test, for their self -evaluation. These results will not be evaluated by the teacher.
Office hours
The lecturer meets students weekly except holidays and in August. Please refer to teacher’s web pages for timetable and any change. Students can also send an e-mail to the teacher to arrange an appointment on a different date/timetable.
According to current University’s guidelines COVID-19 medical emergency, the office hours can take place face-to-face or via Microsoft Teams, by appointment to be requested via e-mail to the lecturer.