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

University of Pennsylvania
Fundamentals of Finance
Skills you'll gain: Finance, Equities, Financial Modeling, Corporate Finance, Financial Analysis, Business Valuation, Investments, Investment Management, Risk Analysis, Cash Flows
3.9
Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
1K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Florida
Personal & Family Financial Planning
Skills you'll gain: Financial Planning, Risk Management, Financial Statements, Investments, Insurance, Cash Management, Income Tax, Financial Management, Credit Risk, Portfolio Management, Budgeting, Equities, Personal Development, Goal Setting
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.5K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Understanding Financial Statements: Company Position
Skills you'll gain: Balance Sheet, Financial Statements, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Accounting, Accounting, Financial Reporting, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Asset Management
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Goldman Sachs
Fundamentals of Financial Planning, with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women
Skills you'll gain: Cash Flow Forecasting, Financial Forecasting, Cash Flows, Financial Analysis, Business Planning, Entrepreneurship, Market Opportunities, Financial Planning, Business Strategies, Strategic Decision-Making
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
446 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Virginia
Financial Accounting Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statements, Financial Accounting, Balance Sheet, Financial Reporting, Financial Statement Analysis, Annual Reports, Accrual Accounting, Income Statement, Financial Analysis, General Ledger, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Accounting Records, Cash Flows, Revenue Recognition, Depreciation
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
2.8K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
New York Institute of Finance
Credit Risk Management: Frameworks and Strategies
Skills you'll gain: Credit Risk, Risk Mitigation, Risk Management, Derivatives, Risk Analysis, Financial Analysis, Financial Market, Financial Statement Analysis, Portfolio Management, Market Trend, Cash Flows, Balance Sheet
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
364 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Investment Banking: Financial Analysis and Valuation
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Investment Banking, Financial Forecasting, Business Valuation, Financial Analysis, Financial Modeling, Mergers & Acquisitions, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Cash Flows, Benchmarking, Spreadsheet Software
Build toward a degree
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
167 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Introduction to Finance: The Basics
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statements, Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Analysis, Finance, Cash Flows, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Accounting, Investment Management, Return On Investment, Corporate Finance, Financial Management, Organizational Structure, Business, Business Management, Financial Forecasting
Build toward a degree
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
466 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Yunus Social Business Fund Bengaluru
Financial Markets and Instruments
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Decision Making, Finance, Business Valuation, Capital Markets, Return On Investment, Equities, Corporate Finance, Financial Analysis, Investments, Risk Analysis, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Cash Flows, Social Sciences
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
HEC Paris
Investment Management in an Evolving and Volatile World by HEC Paris and AXA Investment Managers
Skills you'll gain: Investment Management, Portfolio Management, Investments, Asset Management, Wealth Management, Financial Market, Finance, Risk Management, Financial Regulation, Performance Analysis, Risk Analysis, Microsoft Excel
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
779 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Stanford University
How Software Ate Finance
Skills you'll gain: FinTech, Payment Systems, Financial Services, Financial Market, Capital Markets, Financial Trading, Asset Management, Consumer Lending, Retail Banking, Banking, Financial Regulation, Investment Management, Digital Assets, Technology Strategies, Risk Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
157 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: AI skills
Microsoft
Microsoft Business Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Excel Formulas, Process Flow Diagrams, Business Process Modeling, User Story, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Data Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visio, Software Development Life Cycle, Requirements Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Quality Management, Pivot Tables And Charts, Power BI, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Scrum (Software Development), Business Analysis, Project Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
961 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months