UMADEQ-15-M Financial Investments in Practice CWK Assessment Brief

UMADEQ-15-M Module learning outcomes assessed by this task: 

• MO1: Critically apply the theory to the practice of financial investment including stock selection, and portfolio formation and management. 
• MO2: Critically apply methods for equity valuation. 
• MO3: Evaluate the reaction of prices to financial news and deviations of prices from intrinsic values including using behavioural finance framework to explain market dynamics. 
• MO4: Critically use technical analysis and appreciate its pros and cons. 
• MO5: Gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of how financial markets work, and be able to appreciate the risks involved in financial markets and evaluate how the business cycle and news can affect the value of financial assets. 
• MO6: To develop the skills to use (the Bloomberg) financial software to synthesise and evaluate investment information at a professional standard.

UMADEQ-15-M An investment report: 

You may work in a group (maximum 3 students) to construct an investment portfolio. You are equity portfolio manager(s) and want to invest your fund's money in stocks. Your investment is expected to be held for at least one year before being rebalanced. For your selection of stocks, you can choose either the UK or US stock exchange market (but only from one market). 

You need to conduct an investment analysis and prepare a professional report stating which sectors (3 sectors are required for diversification) and stocks you would invest in, your strategic asset allocation, and the key results from your quantitative analysis. 

More specifically, you should conduct an analysis of the economy, of the sectors (industries), and then identify three stocks that you think should be bought.

Your analysis will be based on:

1. News on the economy, industry, and the companies; 
2. Economic trends;

Where should I start? 

1. Get to know your peers in this module and form your group by sending this group formation form 
2. Carefully read the entire assignment brief, including its requirements, and attend the lectures throughout the academic semester. 
3. Attend the session in which the module leader will talk about the assignment (assignment brief), and all the practical tutorials in Bloomberg. 
4. Start with the economic analysis and the industry analysis as these steps will lead your selection of companies. 
5. Read authoritative sources about the economy and stay informed of recent developments in the global economy. 
6. Decide which strategy you intend to follow and extract relevant information to support your investment strategy from the industry analysis. 
7. You are encouraged to participate actively in the teaching sessions and ask questions.

What do I need to do to pass? 

To pass, you must achieve a minimum mark of 50% and address all the coursework requirements. Success in this module depends not only on your technical and quantitative skills but also on your ability to communicate effectively, discuss your results, and explain the rationale behind your strategy. Additionally, you must show that you can engage with all the requirements and put effort into discussing and interpreting your results. A pass indicates that while you can broadly engage with the technical aspects of the module or assignment, there may be technical shortcomings, or your discussion is limited, mainly providing superficial descriptions of your results. You should also clearly state your contribution to the investment report.

Submission and feedback dates Submission deadline:

Before 14:00 on 16/05/2025 Is eligible for 48 hour late submission window 

Submission format: Word document. Your work should be in 12-point font Times New Roman or Arial and single-spaced. 

Marks and Feedback due on:06/06/2025 N.B. all times are 24-hour clock, current local time (at time of submission) in the UK 

Marks and Feedback will be provided via: Feedback forms will be provided through Blackboard.