Category: Investing and Financial markets

Compute the duration of a
30 year 9% bond, if yields to maturity are 6% presently. What if rates drop by 2%.
Ascertain that you compute both the
exact price, via the bond valuation formulas, and the approximate price by
using duration.
Question 4 and 7 in the screenshot

You are a financial analyst for a major brokerage house.  Your task is to prepare a report for the firm’s financial advisors, the people who advise clients on their portfolio allocation, and for the firm’s portfolio managers, the people who manage the mutual funds and ETFs as to the suitability of the country for investment.   
Analyze and synthesize the following economic and financial concepts/indicators as you assess the current and future situation for your country keeping in mind that the managers and advisors will use your report to make decisions for the firm and for the firm’s clients.  Thus, the managers and advisors do not want a list of data. They want someone to tell them what the data means and how they can use the information for decisions.   
Government spending, debt, and deficit/surplus 
Central Bank policy 
Political environment and ramifications  
“Cayman Islands”
Section headings to get you started
Section 1: Overview of the country including charts/tables that present relevant data 
Section 2: Analysis and synthesis of data and information including a country’s comparative advantage and how your analysis relates to the theory 
Section 3: Conclusion with recommendations for managers including how and why to use your information/analysis for decisions 
APA format, with cources and charts/graphs

In addition, read the following articles and resources:
Press release October 22, 2019: Record September Year-to-Date Attendance and Revenue at Six Flags
https://investors.sixflags.com/news-and-events/press-releases/2019/10-22-2019-210441595
Press release October 24, 2019: Michael Spanos Appointed New President and Chief Executive Officer of Six Flags https://investors.sixflags.com/news-and-events/press-releases/2019/10-24-2019-211409223
Press release March 30, 2020: Extension of Park Closures Until at Last Mid-May Announced by Six Flags https://investors.sixflags.com/news-and-events/press-releases/2020/03-30-2020-161511960
Six Flags 2019 Annual Report https://investors.sixflags.com/~/media/Files/S/Sixflags-IR-V2/documents/annual-reports/six-2019-annual-report-v3.pdf
Six Flags 2020 Annual Report https://investors.sixflags.com/~/media/Files/S/Sixflags-IR-V2/documents/annual-reports/nc-10020462-x1-six-flags-10k-e-book-proof-v3-2020-smaller.pdf
Competitive Strategies in the U.S. Theme Park Industry: A Popular Media Perspective. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/competitive-strategies-us-theme-park-industry/docview/2105057678/se-2?accountid=32521
Six Flags is a regional theme park company with 27 parks located throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In October of 2019, SIX, the company’s ticker symbol, reported record attendance and revenues; and on October 24, 2019, SIX announced it had hired a new president and CEO, Michael Spanos.
For the 4 years ending December 31, 2019, the cumulative shareholder return on SIX stock was 0.44%. In contrast, for the same period, the S&P 500 cumulative return was 71.49% and the S&P Movies and Entertainment Index return was 47.78% (Six Flags, n.d.-b).
The SIX stock opened 2020 at $44.61 per share, and, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the stock hit a record low of $10.36 per share on March 18, 2020. The SIX stock price recovered to $34.10 per share by the end of 2020. SIX was profitable prior to the pandemic, but in 2020 reported a net loss of $423.38 million. Throughout 2020, SIX announced several debt restructurings to help it succeed through the pandemic.
You have been asked to evaluate SIX and present a report analyzing the investment opportunity in the company. Be sure to include relevant or scholarly sources in your report to support your conclusions.
In your report,
Explain SIX’s competitive strategy, advantages, and weaknesses.
Analyze SIX’s capital allocation changes during 2020.
Analyze the changes in SIX’s P/B ratio from 2016 through 2021.
Analyze SIX’s leadership strategy with respect to creating shareholder value throughout 2020 and 2021.
Evaluate the investment opportunity in SIX stock as of September 30, 2021, using principles from the Dhandho Investor
Justify your proposed investment decision.
The Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (SIX) Case Study paper,
Must be five to seven double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Styleas outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word resource.
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions and Writing a Thesis Statement, refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use at least two scholarly or credible sources in addition to the course text.

Investment Portfolio Check-In
In the Week 2 – Assignment, you provided a high-level analysis of your current investment situation and overall goals. You also identified at least two types of investments you want to consider as part of your Investment Portfolio (e.g., stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, etc.). This journal assignment will help you complete your Investment Portfolio assignment due in Week 4 and the final presentation due in Week 5.
Prior to attempting this journal assignment,
Review the Week 4 – Assignment.
Review the Week 5 – Final Presentation.
In your journal,
Explain the progress you are making toward completing the Investment Portfolio paper that is due in Week 4.
Explain what stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or other investment types you might incorporate into your overall portfolio.
Discuss any questions or concerns you have about the Week 4 or Week 5 assignments.
The Investment Portfolio Check-In journal
Must be 200 to 300 words in length.
APA formatting, a title page, and reference pages are not required for this journal assignment.
Review the Week 4 – Assignment.
Investment Portfolio Paper
For this assignment, you will be creating an investment portfolio allocating $100,000 in funds you won in a hypothetical lottery (see the scenario below). An investment portfolio is a collection of assets and can include investments like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds. Two of the most important things to consider when creating a portfolio are your diversification strategy and personal risk tolerance.
For this week’s assignment, you will be further developing your investment portfolio that you started in Week 2. You will also need to create and include a graphic (e.g., table, chart) that illustrates your dollar or percent allocation of the $100,000 investment funds.
Scenario: Imagine you have just won $100,000 in a lottery. You want to invest this money wisely so it can grow over time and help you achieve your overall investment goals.
Prior to beginning work on this assignment,
Read Chapter 13 of your textbook and consider reviewing the chapters covered in the previous weeks of this course.
Review your Week 2 Assignment and any instructor feedback given on that assignment.
Read How to Build an Investment PortfolioLinks to an external site..
Create a graphic (e.g., pie chart, table) that illustrates your dollar or percent allocation of investment funds. For help creating and inserting this graphic into your paper, consider reviewing these resources:
Present Data in a ChartLinks to an external site.
Add a Chart to Your Document in WordLinks to an external site.
In your paper, include:
Financial Situation and Goals
Describe your current financial situation at a high level.
Consider discussing your current and future income potential, current debt, current investments, and anything else significant that can impact your investment strategy.
Review what you submitted for your Week 2 Assignment and incorporate any instructor feedback provided.
Create at least two investment goals for yourself that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound).
Review what you submitted for your Week 2 Assignment and incorporate any instructor feedback provided.
Investment Types and Rationale
Identify at least three major types of investments you would invest in that align with your goals.
Explain your rationale for why you chose those three specific investment types, including how it aligns with your SMART goals or how it supports your overall diversification strategy.
Investment Allocation
Explain how you would allocate the $100,000 to invest in the three investment types (e.g., $50,000 to several stocks, $40,000 to bonds, and $10,000 to mutual funds).
Include a graphic (e.g., pie chart, table, etc.) that illustrates your dollar or percent allocation of investment funds.
Financial Returns and Risks
Discuss what financial return you estimate the investment portfolio to deliver 5 years from now using data and calculations. In other words, how much will the portfolio be worth 5 years from now?
Be sure to show and . Links to an external site.
Explain two key assumptions you used to arrive at the estimated financial return 5 years from now.
Consider using historical or forecasted data to support the estimated amount.
Discuss one potential risk to your overall portfolio to achieve your desired return.
Portfolio Monitoring
Explain the importance of monitoring your investment portfolio routinely.
Tip: Consider using the bold headings above as level headings to help organize your paper. For help with level headings, review the “Level Heading” section on the APA Style ElementsLinks to an external site. guide.
The Investment Portfolio paper
Must be six to eight double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must include one graphic (e.g., table or chart). For help with including this figures, review the Tables, Images, & AppendicesLinks to an external site.
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed or credible sources in addition to the course text. Wikipedia and Investopedia are examples of sources that are NOT acceptable for this assignment.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library ResearchLinks to an external site. tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
Review the Week 5 – Final Presentation.
Investment Portfolio Presentation
This week, you will be creating an eight- to 10-slide PowerPoint presentation based on your Week 4 Investment Portfolio assignment. This presentation should address the main components of your investment portfolio as if you are presenting it to a trusted friend or relative to get their opinion, perspective, and input. It should be based on the following hypothetical scenario:
Scenario: Imagine you have just won $100,000 in a lottery. You want to invest this money wisely so it can grow over time and help you achieve your overall investment goals.
In addition to creating your eight to 10 slides, you must also include slide notes (also called Speaker Notes). For each slide, your slide notes should contain a minimum of 100 to 200 words describing and expanding information on that slide. For help with your slide notes, review this guide Add Speaker Notes to Your SlidesLinks to an external site..
Your presentation must also include at least two graphics (e.g., charts, trend line, tables) to illustrate your key points and make the presentation look professional. Once you have created your presentation, you will also need to save it as a PDF file with your slide notes visible and submit it to Waypoint.
Prior to beginning your presentation,
Review your Week 4 Assignment submission and any feedback provided.
Review Use Charts and Graphs in your PresentationLinks to an external site..
In your eight- to 10-slide presentation, include the following:
Describe your current financial situation at a high level.
State your two SMART investment goals.
Discuss your three major types of investments and your rationale for why you chose those three specific investments types.
Explain how you would allocate the $100,000 to invest in the three investment types.
Include two graphics that illustrate your dollar or percent allocation of investment funds or that visually support your investment portfolio.
Discuss what financial return you estimate the investment portfolio to deliver 5 years from now.
Explain two key assumptions you used to arrive at the estimated financial return 5 years from now.
Discuss one potential risk to your overall portfolio.
Describe your plan for monitoring your investment portfolio routinely.
Remember: Add at least 100 to 200 words of explanation to the Speaker Notes section of each slide. Be sure to include at least two graphics.
The Investment Portfolio Presentation
Must be eight to 10 slides in length (not including title and references slides) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s How to Make a PowerPoint PresentationLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate title slide with the following:
Title of presentation in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must include at least two graphics (e.g., tables, charts, trend lines).
Must use at least two credible sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library ResearchLinks to an external site. tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate references slide that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
Must be submitted to Waypoint as a PDF with the speaker notes visible.

Throughout this course, you will work on different portions of your final paper, which is an investment portfolio based on the scenario described below.
For this week’s assignment, you will identify and examine at least two stocks and one other investment type you are interested in to build your investment portfolio.
Scenario: Imagine you have just won $100,000 in a lottery. You want to invest this money wisely so it can grow over time and help you achieve your overall investment goals.
Prior to beginning work on this assignment,
It is strongly recommended that you look ahead to future weeks’ assignments because you will need to plan and prepare to complete all tasks and assignments by the deadlines.
Read How to Set SMART Goals for Your InvestmentsLinks to an external site..
Read How to Set Investing GoalsLinks to an external site..
Research stocks of publicly traded companies and other types of investment you want to invest in. Two suggested sites you can use to conduct independent research are Yahoo! FinanceLinks to an external site. or MarketWatchLinks to an external site..
In your paper,
Describe your current financial situation at a high level. For example, consider discussing your current and future income potential, current debt, current investments, and anything else significant that can impact your investment strategy.
Create at least two investment goals for yourself that are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound).
Identify a type of investment you would like to consider as part of your investment portfolio that is not a stock (e.g., bonds, mutual funds, real estate, etc.).
Explain why you chose or are interested in that type of investment.
Identify at least five stocks of publicly traded companies you want to invest in.
Explain why you chose those stocks using specific data or information about the company.
Explain how your investment choices align with your overall financial goals.
The Investment Analysis paper
Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must use at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed or credible sources in addition to the course text. Wikipediaand Investopedia are examples of sources that are NOT acceptable for this assignment.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.

For my thesis, I still have to write the Results:
To what degree does the proficiency in financial literacy among prospective clients shape their choice to participate in wealth management services, and what strategies can wealth management firms employ to attract clients in response to this influence?
Answer
The study aims to uncover how a lack of financial literacy presents challenges for advisors and firms and understand the resulting impact on acquiring clients. 
Customer Journey Mapping: Additionally, the research will include the development of customer journey maps to visualize the interactions and experiences of clients with investment management services.
Personas of the primary and secondary target markets will be developed based on demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics identified through quantitative data analysis. 
Additionally, this study aims to explore the varied strategies that wealth management firms currently utilize to tackle the challenges presented by clients with varying levels of financial literacy. By examining the existing practices within the industry, the research seeks to pinpoint successful approaches and areas that may need improvement. 
In sequence, this research also aims to propose effective strategies for wealth management firms. The focus here is on attracting clients while accounting for the spectrum of financial literacy within their customer base. 
Research results will be given later

Investment Portfolio Presentation
This week, you will be creating an eight-slide PowerPoint presentation based on your Week 4 Investment Portfolio assignment. This presentation should address the main components of your investment portfolio as if you are presenting it to a trusted friend or relative to get their opinion, perspective, and input. It should be based on the following hypothetical scenario:
Scenario: Imagine you have just won $100,000 in a lottery. You want to invest this money wisely so it can grow over time and help you achieve your overall investment goals.
In addition to creating your eight to 10 slides, you must also include slide notes (also called Speaker Notes). For each slide, your slide notes should contain a minimum of 100 to 200 words describing and expanding information on that slide. For help with your slide notes, review this guide Add Speaker Notes to Your SlidesLinks to an external site..
Your presentation must also include at least two graphics (e.g., charts, trend line, tables) to illustrate your key points and make the presentation look professional. Once you have created your presentation, you will also need to save it as a PDF file with your slide notes visible and submit it to Waypoint.
Prior to beginning your presentation,
Review Use Charts and Graphs in your PresentationLinks to an external site..
In your eight-slide presentation, include the following:
Describe your current financial situation at a high level.
State your two SMART investment goals.
Discuss your three major types of investments and your rationale for why you chose those three specific investments types.
Explain how you would allocate the $100,000 to invest in the three investment types.
Include two graphics that illustrate your dollar or percent allocation of investment funds or that visually support your investment portfolio.
Discuss what financial return you estimate the investment portfolio to deliver 5 years from now.
Explain two key assumptions you used to arrive at the estimated financial return 5 years from now.
Discuss one potential risk to your overall portfolio.
Describe your plan for monitoring your investment portfolio routinely.
Remember: Add at least 100 to 200 words of explanation to the Speaker Notes section of each slide. Be sure to include at least two graphics.
Submission Instructions
Submit your PowerPoint to Waypoint as a PDF document with the Speaker Notes visible. To do this, follow these instructions:
Select File.
Select the Print option.
Change the Printer option to your PDF reader (e.g., Adobe PDF).
Change the Full Page Slides option to the Notes Pages The preview of your presentation on the right should change to show your Speaker Notes.
Click on Print.
Make sure you save it as a *.PDF file
The Investment Portfolio Presentation
Must be eight slides in length (not including title and references slides) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center’s How to Make a PowerPoint PresentationLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate title slide with the following:
Title of presentation in bold font
Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
Student’s name
Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Due date
Must include at least two graphics (e.g., tables, charts, trend lines).
Must use at least two credible sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library ResearchLinks to an external site. tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.
Must include a separate references slide that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
Must be submitted to Waypoint as a PDF with the speaker notes visible.

To what degree does the proficiency in financial literacy among potential clients shape their choice to participate in wealth management services, and what strategies can wealth management firms employ to attract clients in response to this influence?
The study aims to uncover how a lack of financial literacy presents challenges for advisors and firms and understand the resulting impact on acquiring clients. – 
create customer journey maps, illustrating individuals’ typical interactions and experiences with investment management services. The aim was to identify critical touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities for enhancing client involvement in investment management services by mapping the customer journey.
Additionally, this study aims to explore the varied strategies that wealth management firms currently utilize to tackle the challenges presented by clients with varying levels of financial literacy. By examining the existing practices within the industry, the research seeks to pinpoint successful approaches and areas that may need improvement. 
In sequence, this research also aims to propose effective strategies for wealth management firms. The focus here is on attracting clients while accounting for the spectrum of financial literacy within their customer base. 

For the past 12 weeks I had to do an investment simulation and from this I have to write a reflective essay of my findings. I have attached all my investment transactions and my planned investment strategy which can be found in the ppt. The whole detailed assessment description is attached as well.

Read the above documents and the IPO book (e-copy available on Blackboard)
to answer the following questions. You may wish to use external
references/material from credible sources (such as financial press, journal
articles):
(i) An IPO marks a strategic milestone for a company.
(a) Explain the generic benefits and drawbacks of going public.
(b) What may have motivated Ferrari (Ticker symbol ‘RACE’) to go public?
(c) Why do you think Ferrari chose to list on New York Stock Exchange?
(d) What can you say about the primary and secondary shares sold in the
Ferrari IPO? (16 marks)
(ii) What is an IPO over-allotment (Greenshoe) option? Did Ferrari include such an
option in its IPO? (6 marks)
(iii) The underwriting investment bank takes on a central role in the IPO process.
(a) What are the key tasks executed by the underwriter?
(b) What are primary considerations when selecting an underwriter?
(c) Often, multiple underwriters are involved. In the case of Ferrari, a
syndicate of 7 underwriters was involved in the IPO. What are the main
motivations for syndication?
(d) How much compensation was paid to the underwriters of Ferrari? Do you
think it is comparable to the average compensation paid to underwriters in US
IPOs?
(e) What do you understand by ‘price-stabilization’ activities conducted by the
underwriter(s)? Do you think the underwriters were involved in pricestabilization of the Ferrari IPO? (25 marks)
(iv) Describe what happens during ‘book-building’ of an IPO. What price range was
used for book building of the Ferrari IPO? Why do you think Ferrari priced its offering
at the top end of the book-building range? (10 marks)
(v) Based on the information given in the case study and the IPO prospectus,
discuss the pricing of the Ferrari IPO. Would you have invested in Ferrari at this
price? (10 marks)
(vi) What are IPO lock-up agreements? Describe the lock-up agreement of the
Ferrari IPO. (5 marks)
(vii) The diagram below shows the performance of Ferrari shares from October 2015
to September 2019. The first day of public trading of RACE shares was 21 October
2015. Shares were sold in the IPO at an offer price of $52. More information on daily
share price movements is available in the Excel file (RACE shareprice). 
Based on a visual examination of the chart above, how does the performance of the
Ferrari IPO compare with average IPO performance documented by past empirical
studies
i. in terms of the short term (1st trading day)?
ii. and over the longer term (4 years)?
Past studies have suggested several explanations for short-run underpricing and
long-run underperformance of IPOs. Discuss the ones which you think are relevant
to Ferrari’s case? (16 marks)
(viii) In the light of the main theories of capital structure, provide a discussion of the
evolution of the capital structure of Ferrari since its IPO. You will find the Annual
Report 2018 helpful in answering this question