--%>
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 : Define Bill Bill : It is a draft of

    Bill: It is a draft of proposed law represented to the Legislature for performance. (A bill has bigger legal formality and standing than a resolution.) OR An invoice, or document statement, of an amount owing for s

    		•
  • Q : Which ratios would banker is interested

    Which ratios would banker is most interested while assuming whether to approve an application for short-term business loan? Illustrate.Bankers and other lenders employ liquidity ratios to distinguish whether to extend short-term credit to a firm

    		•
  • Q : Describe most conservative capital

    Describe most conservative type of working capital financing plan a company could implement? clarify. An all equity capital structure would be the most conservative kind of working capital financing plan approach. The more long-term financing

    		•
  • Q : Explain marginal cost of capital

    Explain marginal cost of capital schedule (MCC)? Is the schedule always horizontal line? Describe. The marginal cost of capital schedule is graphic depiction of the weighted average cost of capital at distinct levels of financing. The MCC sch

    		•
  • Q : Which insurance company takes on the

    Which kind of insurance company usually takes on the greater risks: a life insurance company or a property and casualty insurance company? The risks sheltered against by property and casualty companies are much less predictable than are the risk

    		•
  • Q : Down sloping and upsloping Normal 0

    Normal 0 false false

  • Q : Security in banking operations Security

    Security in banking operations is a major problem in financial institutions all over the world today. The compromise of banking information and data more often than not leads to fraud. Fraud has become quite a challenge for many banks as any slight br

    		•
  • Q : Describe the P-E valuation method

    Describe the P/E valuation method. Under what conditions a stock should be valued by using this method?The P/E ratio denotes how much investors are keen to pay for each dollar of a stock's earnings. A high P/E ratio denotes that investors belie

    		•
  • Q : Difference in annuities due or ordinary

    Normal 0 false false

    		•
  • Q : Example-implicitly-weighed marginal

    Cite three example of recent decisions which you made in which you, at least implicitly, weighed marginal costs & marginal benefits.

    		•