Meeting Investors' Goals from Coursera

In this course, you will dive into the concepts of rationality and irrationality and understand how they impact our investment decisions and what the consequences can be at the market level.

You will first explore the different biases that we, as humans, are subjected to when facing investment decisions and how they may impact the outcomes of these decisions. Moreover, you will see how emotions and ethical concerns such as honesty and trust influence market participants. When they are considered as a group rather than individually, you will discover how rationality and irrationality can drive asset prices to and away from their fair value. Finally, you will be presented with different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles that make up the landscape of today's portfolio management industry.

At key points throughout the course, you will benefit from the practical knowledge of experts from our corporate partner, UBS, in how to build and manage clients' portfolios.

What's inside

Syllabus

General Introduction and Key Concepts

In this introductory week, we will start by illustrating how emotions can hinder sensible investment decisions. You will then have the opportunity to check if you master the concepts of the first course that are important for this second course. Finally, we will lay the ground for next week’s content by looking at rational decision making.

How Individuals Make Financial Decisions

The focus of this second week is on you, the investor: what are the reasons you participate in financial markets? How do you make investment decisions? What can go wrong in your decision process and what are the consequences? What can you do about it? To answer these questions, we will talk about cognitive biases, emotions and moral values and their respective link with investment decisions.

Market Efficiency, Bubbles & Crises

In this third week, we will have a look at investors’ behavior as a group. How does it impact asset prices? How do these prices reflect available information? What does it imply for the profitability of some trading strategies? What can go wrong in this price formation process and how can (and did) it cause financial bubbles and crises? This week also features as special guest: Prof. Jean-Pierre Danthine, former vice-chairman of the Swiss National Bank, who will offer insights into some of these issues.

Portfolio Construction and Investment Styles

In this final week, we will look at two main portfolio construction methodologies: top-down and bottom-up. We will see how they differ but also how they can be combined. In the second lesson, we will review some important investment styles that are commonly used in the portfolio management industry. In this final lesson, you will also be given the opportunity to experiment with different trading strategies and compare your results with fellow learners.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Focuses on personal finance and individual investor decision-making

Taught by experts in finance and behavioral economics

Explores the impact of emotions and ethical concerns on investment decisions

Provides practical knowledge on portfolio construction and investment styles

Designed for individual investors looking to improve their decision-making and investment strategies

Requires a foundational understanding of basic financial concepts and investment principles

Reviews summary

Valuable financial guidance

Learners say Meeting Investors' Goals is a valuable course in finance that provides them with useful information that they can apply in their own lives and careers. This course is highly recommended for those looking to advance their understanding of finance and for those seeking practical advice on investing.

Learn about financial strategies.

"This course provides useful information that I can apply in my own life and career."

"I highly recommend this course for those looking to advance their understanding of finance."

"This course is great for those seeking practical advice on investing."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Meeting Investors' Goals with these activities:

Refresh Knowledge on Financial Markets

Show steps

Review foundational concepts of financial markets to strengthen your understanding of how irrationality impacts investment decisions.

Browse courses on Financial Markets

Show steps

Review basic concepts such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.
Recall key principles of risk and return.

Review: Thinking, Fast and Slow

Show steps

Explore Daniel Kahneman's insights on the two systems of thinking to deepen your understanding of cognitive biases and decision-making.

View Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment on Amazon

Show steps

Read and comprehend the key chapters related to cognitive biases.
Summarize and reflect on how these insights apply to your personal and investment decision-making.

Practice Rational Decision Making Drills

Show steps

Complete practice drills to reinforce the principles of rational decision-making introduced in the first week.

Show steps

Identify and explain the different types of cognitive biases.
Apply techniques to mitigate cognitive biases in your decision-making process.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Create a Mind Map on Market Efficiency

Show steps

Create a mind map that visually represents your understanding of market efficiency and its limitations.

Browse courses on Market Efficiency

Show steps

Brainstorm and list the key concepts related to market efficiency.
Organize and connect these concepts using a mind mapping tool.
Summarize the implications of market efficiency for investment strategies.

Peer Discussion on Investment Styles

Show steps

Participate in a peer discussion to compare and contrast different investment styles, evaluating their pros and cons.

Browse courses on Investment Styles

Show steps

Research and identify different investment styles.
Prepare talking points on the advantages and disadvantages of each style.
Engage in respectful and constructive discussion with peers.

Review: Behavioral Finance

Show steps

Review the concepts of behavioral finance to solidify your understanding of biases in financial decision-making covered in the course.

View Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the first few chapters of the book.
Summarize the key concepts in each chapter.
Reflect on how these concepts apply to your own investment decisions.

Guided Tutorials on Portfolio Optimization

Show steps

Follow guided tutorials to enhance your understanding and skills in constructing and optimizing investment portfolios.

Browse courses on Portfolio Optimization

Show steps

Identify and understand different portfolio optimization techniques.
Practice applying these techniques using portfolio optimization software or tools.
Analyze the results and evaluate the effectiveness of different approaches.

Create a Simulation Game for Market Efficiency

Show steps

Design and develop a simulation game that demonstrates the impact of irrationality on market efficiency and investment outcomes.

Browse courses on Market Efficiency

Show steps

Establish the rules and parameters of the game, considering different levels of market efficiency and irrational investor behavior.
Create a visual or digital representation of the game.
Facilitate the game and observe the decision-making patterns of participants.
Analyze the results and derive insights into the influence of irrationality on market outcomes.

Career center

Learners who complete Meeting Investors' Goals will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts study the performance of companies and make recommendations on whether to buy or sell their stocks. This course may be useful to a Financial Analyst because it describes the potential biases that impact investment decisions. By understanding these biases, Financial Analysts can improve their accuracy and make better recommendations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Investment Banker

Investment Bankers help companies raise money by selling their stocks and bonds to investors. This course may be useful to an Investment Banker because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Investment Bankers better understand the needs of their clients and develop more effective fundraising strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investment Banker

Portfolio Manager

Portfolio Managers manage the investments of individuals and institutions. This course may be useful to a Portfolio Manager because it provides an overview of different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles. This knowledge can help Portfolio Managers make better investment decisions and achieve their clients' financial goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Portfolio Manager

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisors provide financial advice to individuals and families. This course may be useful to a Financial Advisor because it provides an overview of the biases that impact investment decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Financial Advisors better understand the needs of their clients and provide them with more informed advice.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Advisor

Investment Manager

Investment Managers research and select investments for their clients. This course may be useful to an Investment Manager because it provides an overview of different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles. This knowledge can help Investment Managers make better investment decisions and achieve their clients' financial goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Investment Manager

Hedge Fund Manager

Hedge Fund Managers manage investment funds that use advanced investment strategies to generate high returns. This course may be useful to a Hedge Fund Manager because it provides an overview of different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles. This knowledge can help Hedge Fund Managers make better investment decisions and achieve their clients' financial goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hedge Fund Manager

Private Equity Investor

Private Equity Investors invest in private companies that are not publicly traded. This course may be useful to a Private Equity Investor because it provides an overview of different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles. This knowledge can help Private Equity Investors make better investment decisions and achieve their clients' financial goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Private Equity Investor

Venture Capitalist

Venture Capitalists invest in early-stage companies that have the potential to grow into large, successful businesses. This course may be useful to a Venture Capitalist because it provides an overview of different portfolio construction methodologies and investment styles. This knowledge can help Venture Capitalists make better investment decisions and achieve their clients' financial goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Venture Capitalist

Actuary

Actuaries use mathematical and statistical techniques to assess risk and uncertainty. This course may be useful to an Actuary because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Actuaries better understand the risks involved in different investments and make more informed recommendations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Actuary

Insurance Underwriter

Insurance Underwriters assess the risk of insuring individuals and businesses. This course may be useful to an Insurance Underwriter because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Insurance Underwriters better understand the risks involved in different insurance policies and make more informed decisions about whether or not to issue coverage.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Underwriter

Credit Analyst

Credit Analysts assess the creditworthiness of individuals and businesses. This course may be useful to a Credit Analyst because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Credit Analysts better understand the risks involved in different types of credit and make more informed decisions about whether or not to extend credit.

See salaries and explore the career path for Credit Analyst

Economic Analyst

Economic Analysts study economic data and trends to make forecasts about the future. This course may be useful to an Economic Analyst because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Economic Analysts better understand the economic factors that influence investment decisions and make more accurate forecasts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Economic Analyst

Market Researcher

Market Researchers study consumer behavior and trends to help businesses develop new products and services. This course may be useful to a Market Researcher because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Market Researchers better understand the needs of investors and develop more effective marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical techniques to analyze financial data. This course may be useful to a Quantitative Analyst because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Quantitative Analysts develop more accurate financial models and make better investment recommendations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. This course may be useful to a Data Scientist because it provides an overview of how investors make decisions and how these decisions impact asset prices. This knowledge can help Data Scientists develop more effective data-driven solutions for businesses.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist