Financial Risk Management and Derivative Instruments

Book excerpt: Financial Risk Management and Derivative Instruments offers an introduction to the riskiness of stock markets and the application of derivative instruments in managing exposure to such risk. Structured in two parts, the first part offers an introduction to stock market and bond market risk as encountered by investors seeking investment growth. The second part of the text introduces the financial derivative instruments that provide for either a reduced exposure (hedging) or an increased exposure (speculation) to market risk. The fundamental aspects of the futures and options derivative markets and the tools of the Black-Scholes model are examined. The text sets the topics in their global context, referencing financial shocks such as Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. An accessible writing style is supported by pedagogical features such as key insights boxes, progressive illustrative examples and end-of-chapter tutorials. The book is supplemented by PowerPoint slides designed to assist presentation of the text material as well as providing a coherent summary of the lectures. This textbook provides an ideal text for introductory courses to derivative instruments and financial risk management for either undergraduate, masters or MBA students.