Assignment 1: Financial Markets and Institutions, Part 1

Due Week 4 and worth 190 points

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:

1. Explore one (1) financial market and the types of transactions supported by it in the U.S. and global economies. Determine how valuable these transactions are to the overall U.S. and the global economies.
2. Evaluate all the factors that affect interest rates to determine the one that appears to impact interest rates the most in today’s economic climate. Support your answer with evidence and examples.
3. Analyze the ease or difficulty of forecasting interest rate changes. Assess the value the forecast provides.
4. Examine why the Federal Reserve was created. Then construct an argument as to whether or not the Federal Reserve’s major roles are essential to the U.S. economy.
5. Choose a recent monetary policy (adopted during the past twelve (12) months). Analyze its current and future impact on the U.S. and global economies.
6. Imagine you are a financial manager. Develop a strategy for the use of bond markets by either an investor or firm of your choice to meet a stated financial objective of your choice for that investor or firm.
7. Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• This course requires use of new Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details.
• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow SWS or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Describe the various types of financial markets and the types of transactions supported by each market in the U.S. and globally.
• Analyze the factors that affect interest rates and forecast interest rate changes.
• Explain the operation of the Federal Reserve and describe how monetary policy is used in the U.S. and other countries to manage the economy.
• Develop strategies for the use of bond markets by investors and firms to meet stated financial objectives.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in financial markets and institutions.
• Write clearly and concisely about financial markets and institutions using proper writing mechanics.