--%>
Assignment Help - homework help

Analysis On Financial Indices

On a weekly basis, starting from week ending on 18/1, you need to produce a weekly performance report of the major indices around the world following this structure: 

Currencies
a. USD vs Yen, vs GBP(GBP/USD), vs. Swiss Franc (USD/CHF)
b. Euro vs USD, Yen, GBP, Swiss Franc
c. US Dollar Index

DELIVERABLES

Analyze US Dollar Index, the concept of cost of carry, future contract specifications for WTI, Gold via CME Group site.

1. For each index, calculate weekly, Year-to-Date, 12-month(rolling) returns, 3Y CAGR & 5Y CAGR (in case you cannot find the data from the web or Datastream just skip the respective index)

2. Calculate the average annual returns, standard deviation and the cross-correlations for as much from the above indices/asset classes for the following periods:
a. JAN 2007- DEC 2009
b. JAN 2010- DEC 2012
c. JAN 2002- DEC 2012
using i) daily or weekly and ii)monthly data

3. Plot the average returns (y-axis) and standard deviations (x-axis) for the period JAN 2002 - DEC 2012

4. Given the above results, which of these indices/asset classes would you be most / least interested investing in?

5. How do you explain the differences in the correlation figures?

6. Describe briefly each index / asset class from the ones in the list above.

  • Add the definitions of all indices, # of companies/countries included 
  • Weighting method: price weighted, value-weighted, equal-weighted 
  • top 5 of companies/countries in the basket/index - whenever you have access to constituents/members. 
  • Briefly analyze the structure and potential advantages for each index/asset class 
  • List at least one (1) Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that you could invest in so that to track each one of these indices. 

7. Monitor major headlines and be ready to discuss the direction of the markets from week to week. The 2013 Outlook reports provided you with the key factors / themes that will be influencing the markets this year.

 

 

 

 

   Related Questions in Finance Basics

  • Q : Why do financial managers compute the

    Why do financial managers compute the marginal tax rate?Financial managers utilize marginal tax rates to estimate the future after tax cash flows from investments.  Because they are interested in how much of the next dollar earned through n

    		•
  • Q : Problem on banks Customers arrive at a

    Customers arrive at a bank with 2 tellers. The manager took the following data for 11 customers during a busy time. The manager has asked you to:(a) Create an event log. (b) Calculat

    		•
  • Q : What is in store for banking

    What is in store for banking consolidation? Merger activity is a natural procedure by which companies make themselves more efficient and better capable to compete for customers. The banking industry is no exception

    		•
  • Q : Describes why reserves are an asset to

    Normal 0 false false

    		•
  • Q : Bonds and coupon rate Staind, Inc., has

    Staind, Inc., has 8 percent coupon bonds on the market that have 15 years left to maturity. The bonds make annual payments. If the YTM on these bonds is 9 percent, what is the current bond price?

    		•
  • Q : What is FERA FERA stands for The

    FERA stands for The Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The program was renamed as a direct relief operation in Roosevelt Administration. It was a form of an unemployment insurance.

    		•
  • Q : Inflationary expenditure gap or

    Normal 0 false false

  • Q : Explain Conference Committee Conference

    Conference Committee: It is a committee of three members (that is two from the majority party and one from the minority party) from each house, appointed to gather and resolve differences among versions of a bill (example, when one house of the Legisl

    		•
  • Q : What is Indirect Costs Indirect Costs :

    Indirect Costs: The costs which by their nature can’t be readily related with a particular organization unit or program. Similar to general administrative expenses, indirect costs are dispersed to the organizational unit(s) or programs that bene

    		•
  • Q : Define Limited-Term Position

    Limited-Term Position (LT): Any place that has been authorized only for a particular length of time with a set termination date.Limited-term positions might be authorized throughout the budget procedure or in transactions approved by the D

    		•