GBUS 8623

Course Description

This course examines the nature and influence of trading in financial markets. Trading is a repeated-play game that usually entails making numerous decisions under conditions of uncertainty. In the course, particular attention is directed to the role of noise in financial markets; cognitive illusions and pitfalls in decision making by market participants; the identification of potentially profitable trades; the development of sound money management skills, arbitrage and quasi-arbitrage transactions; positive feedback trading, back office processing of trades; the management of the trading function; and the development of various expert trading systems. Two mock pit-trading sessions will give students firsthand experience in simulated pit-trading environments and illustrate necessary trading skills. A simulated trading game runs for most of the course. Guest lectures in class from top traders as well as the interviews of top traders in the texts provide diverse perspectives on trading by successful traders.