What are financial markets?

Financial markets are the online trading mechanisms where traders and investors work to buy and sell stocks and bonds, commodities and derivatives, foreign exchange, and more. There are stock markets, bond markets, cryptocurrency markets, foreign exchange markets, and others. Businesses go to financial markets as well to raise money for expansion, and companies join financial markets to raise visibility and reduce risks. Financial markets exist to create financial liquidity for companies to grow and for entrepreneurs to seek funding for their business ventures. Financial markets can increase investor confidence in an economy by making information available, thus reducing risk.

Why is it important to learn about financial markets?

It's important to learn about financial markets to gain insights on risk management, financial principles, and stock trading and see how the banking and securities industries operate. The financial markets represent the lifeblood of the world's economic drivers, including the major markets around the world, as well as the lesser ones in different countries. You'll need to know how financial markets operate, if you want to work in the area of finance, as a trader, investor, entrepreneur, or within a company as a financial analyst, market maker, or similar role.

What career opportunities can arise from learning about financial markets?

A few career opportunities available to someone with a good education and interest in financial markets include portfolio manager, bond trader, risk manager, investment banker, and similar roles. After proving yourself in these jobs, there may be opportunities later in venture capital, underwriting, and private equity fields. In the stock trading area, there may be jobs open to become a buy-side trader, a sell-side trader, or a hedge fund trader. Working in the financial markets ensures there are many other interesting areas to move into and explore later on.

How can taking online courses help me learn about financial markets?

Taking online courses about the financial markets can give you knowledge about interest rates, stocks, bonds, commodities, and more. You can learn how and why stocks and bonds move up and down relative to risk factors. You may also learn to analyze a stock's performance over time and learn more about risk and return opportunities. Over time, you may get insights into the operations of hedge funds, stock portfolios, and emerging markets.

What are the benefits of taking an online Financial Markets course?

Online Financial Markets courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Financial Markets skills. Choose from a wide range of Financial Markets courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Financial Markets courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Financial Markets, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Financial Markets Courses - Learn Financial Markets Online

Explore the Financial Markets Course Catalog

Status: Free Trial
Università di Napoli Federico II
Market Microstructure
Skills you'll gain: Market Liquidity, Securities Trading, Financial Market, Market Dynamics, Equities, Market Data, Technical Analysis, Financial Regulation, Order Processing, Algorithms
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Irvine
Finanzas para profesionales no financieros
Skills you'll gain: Cash Management, Financial Statements, Financial Analysis, Budgeting, Financial Forecasting, Cash Flow Forecasting, Financial Data, Financial Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
689 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
FinTech Security and Regulation (RegTech)
Skills you'll gain: Financial Regulation, Financial Regulations, Bank Regulations, FinTech, Financial Services, Financial Industry Regulatory Authorities, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Regulatory Compliance, Mobile Banking, Regulatory Requirements, Regulatory Affairs, Risk Management, Data Security, Cybersecurity, Insurance, Blockchain, Threat Detection, Emerging Technologies
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
299 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Cape Town
Research for Impact
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Communication, Stakeholder Engagement, Influencing, Research, Strategic Partnership, Program Evaluation, Community Development, Policy Analysis, Change Management, Systems Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Capacity Planning
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
175 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Financial Analysis of Scenarios and Decisions
Skills you'll gain: Variance Analysis, Performance Measurement, Management Accounting, Return On Investment, Financial Management, Cost Management, Budgeting, Financial Analysis, Cost Accounting, Accounting, Operational Analysis, Performance Management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Decision Making
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
80 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Pennsylvania
Social Entrepreneurship
Skills you'll gain: Project Scoping, Entrepreneurship, Feasibility Studies, Needs Assessment, Socioeconomics, Customer Analysis, Community Development, Target Audience, Stakeholder Management, Competitive Analysis, Business Operations, Cost Estimation, Market Opportunities, New Business Development, Ideation, Business Research, Financial Planning
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
399 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
Renewable Energy Projects
Skills you'll gain: Feasibility Studies, Plant Operations and Management, Project Finance, Facility Operations, Financial Analysis, Project Management Life Cycle, Financial Forecasting, Construction Management, Technology Roadmaps, Product Lifecycle Management, Stakeholder Engagement
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
168 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Geneva
Planning your Client's Wealth over a 5-year Horizon
Skills you'll gain: Wealth Management, Portfolio Management, Asset Management, Financial Planning, Investment Management, Investments, Performance Measurement, Financial Analysis, Behavioral Economics, Risk Management, Market Trend, Risk Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
407 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
IESE Business School
Corporate Finance Essentials II
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Corporate Finance, Financial Management, Equities, Capital Markets, Market Dynamics, Financial Analysis, Investments, Business Valuation, Risk Analysis
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
114 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Tecnológico de Monterrey
Estrategias de Emprendimiento
Skills you'll gain: Supplier Management, Business Planning, Entrepreneurship, Business Strategies, Growth Strategies, Business Development, Business Strategy, Business Modeling, Business Valuation, Market Opportunities, Financial Analysis, Strategic Marketing, Market Analysis, Presentations, Innovation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
73 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Illinois Tech
A Comprehensive Excel Masterclass
Skills you'll gain: Capital Budgeting, Data Visualization, Microsoft Excel, Dashboard, Business Intelligence, Interactive Data Visualization, Excel Formulas, Financial Analysis, Data Analysis Expressions (DAX), Pivot Tables And Charts, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Google Sheets, Business Analytics, Financial Modeling, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Loans, Cash Flows
Build toward a degree
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
60 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Goldman Sachs
Fundamentals of Business Finance, with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statements, Financial Statement Analysis, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Financial Analysis, Small Business Accounting, Accounting, Profit and Loss (P&L) Management, Business Planning, Financial Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
1.1K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks