Finance is a subject which studies the flow of money. A financial market is composed of market entities like the borrowers, the lenders, and the financial intermediaries, and the ways of financing can be classified as direct financing-which is through the securities market, and indirect financing-which is through financial intermediaries like commercial banks. Borrowers can be both individuals and enterprises, and lenders are mainly enterprises on the financial markets. Since the market prices of securities are volatile, and loan default is common in our everyday life, people figured out many ideas and created many financial tools to control the risk on the market. 

In this course, we will introduce the basic knowledge of the financial markets, including the financial market entities like the borrowers, the lenders, and the financial intermediaries, as well as the two ways of financing. At the same time, we will introduce some basic models used in Finance and give an overview of the skills used in risk control and forecasting. Also, we will introduce financial tools like stocks and bonds which are used for financing, and financial derivatives like forward contracts, futures, and options, which are used for controlling risk. Students will learn the basic knowledge of these components of the financial market and how they apply in the real world. Also, the students of this course will complete assignments which are helpful for them to better understand the topics. By the end of this course, students are required to give a presentation that summarizes what they learned in this course.