In this course, we will discuss fundamental principles of trading-off between risk and return, equity valuation, and portfolio management. There are three major parts in the course: portfolio theory and practice, equilibrium in capital markets, and security analysis. Both theoretical and practical sides of equity valuation and portfolio strategies are covered in this lecture. We start from the premise of the risk-and-return trading-off in a near-informational-efficiency security market. The course aims at equipping students with the core skills used by modern (equity) financial analysts and portfolio managers whether they plan to become an investment professional or simply a sophisticated individual investor. A considerable part of the course materials is derived from the recommendation of the CFA (Chartered Financial Analysts) Institute.

Practices on the end-of-chapter questions and problems are required to understand and master the major conceptual knowledge learned from the lectures. Meanwhile, individual and group-based projects are designed and integrated to put a great deal emphasis on the importance of real-world examples by advocating a learner-based approach. As for the group projects, formulating a well-functioning team with effective labor division and interactions can be very beneficial.