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Syllabus

EN IT

Learning Objectives

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The objective of this course is to understand the main mathematical techniques for the modelling and the analysis of financial markets.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The course discusses the main stochastic methods for modelling financial markets and pricing simple financial derivatives.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
Students will be able to describe in mathematical terms basic models for financial markets. In particular they will drow their attention to the concept of market price of risk market completeness and absence of arbitrage.
Students will also be able to apply quantitative techniques for evaluating different types of financial derivatives.


MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
The course contains proofs of theorems and analytic properties. These aspects allows students to build and develop logic arguments with a clear identification of hypotheses and theses, and identify wrong or incorrect reasoning. The discussion of examples and model in actuarial science will permit the students to understand the main characteristics of a reasonable mathematical modelling of some phenomena.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
Students must be able to describe with the due scientific rigour, mathematical models for representing longevity risk and discuss the necessary techniques for the valutaion of life insurance contracts. This course provides all the instruments for communicating rigorously quantitative results in the actuatial framework.

LEARNING SKILLS:
The course provides basic instruments for the development of further studies in the actuarial framework. The more theoretical part allows students to independently face new and more complex problems.

Prerequisites

Good knowledge of financial mathematics tools.

Program

(Week #1)
1. The stages of Portfolio Construction:
- Strategic Asset allocation
- Tactical Asset Allocation
- Stock/Bond Selection
2. Benchmark
(Week #2, 3 and 4)
3. Strategic Asset allocation:
- Naive Portfolio Formation Rule
- Markowitz Model
- Modello di Markowitz: Limits
- Estimation Error
- Heuristic Techniques: Additional Constraints e Resampling(TM)
- Bayesian Techniques: Black-Litterman Model
(Week #5)
4. Tactical Asset Allocation
(Week #6)
5. Fund Valuation and Selection:
- Risk Measures
- Fund Management: passive versus active
- Risk Adjusted Performance Measure
-The Return Based Style Analysis

Books

Scherer, B., “Portfolio Construction and Risk Budgeting”, Risk Books

Bibliography

Scherer, B., “Portfolio Construction and Risk Budgeting”, Risk Books

Teaching methods

The lessons of the course will be held in a computer room.
After the theoretical analysis of each topic, practical exercises will follow.

Exam Rules

The exam is oral and is structured as follows:
- the candidate will be asked three questions;
- the questions can be both theoretical and practical (exercises aimed at verifying the ability to know how to apply theoretical concepts);
- each question will be given a score of thirty and the final grade will be given by the arithmetic average of the scores, rounded to the nearest integer;
- in case the student can aspire to laude, a further question will be formulated.

The student can repeat the exam in every single exam session.

Criteria for formulating the judgment expressed out of thirty:
- Fail (<18/30): significant deficiencies and/or inaccuracies in knowledge and understanding
of the topics; limited analysis and synthesis skills, frequent generalizations.
- 18-20: just minimun knowledge and understanding of the topics with significant
imperfections; Sufficient analytical, synthesis and independent judgment skills.
- 21-23: Knowledge and understanding of routine topics; Correct analysis and synthesis
skills with coherent logical argumentation.
- 24-26: Fair knowledge and understanding of the topics; good analytical and synthesis
skills with rigorously expressed arguments.
- 27-29: Complete knowledge and understanding of the topics; remarkable analytical and
synthesis skills. Good independent judgement.
- 30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and understanding of the topics. Remarkable
analytical and synthesis skills and independent judgement. Arguments expressed in an
original way.

A written exam is also provided for students attending classes.