This course will make you excited about financial markets and data analysis
Introduction to Financial Markets and Data Analytics – CFM 101 was my favourite course this term and it’s exactly why I chose Computing Financial Management (CFM) for my undergraduate studies. CFM is a program offered jointly by the School of Accounting and Finance and the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science that integrates computer science and finance with two years of co-op experience to prepare students for careers in the financial technology industry.
Throughout the term, we used Python to analyze stock market data. Using relevant tools to do something that you’re passionate about, but in a class environment sounds crazy, right? But it’s why I love this course! Having completed a project on an analysis of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) over the summer, I was excited to take on this course to broaden my knowledge. We analyzed options, Bitcoin, bonds, order books, stock data and more, all of which I’m really interested in. In one of the exercises I programmed using Yahoo Finance, Pandas and Matplotlib, I analyzed the market price of options versus their maturity date. The outputted graph below demonstrates that options have more value since their maturity date is further away in time due to the concept of time value.
It wasn’t just the coding that made me hooked on this course. It was also the way Professor James Thompson led the class. The amount of content taught about financial markets and the delivery of it, discussions on current financial events, and the occasional classmate question on trying to challenge the tax system and attempt insider trading (I’m looking at you Derek T.!) kept me engaged like never before. I’m not joking when I say this: I felt like a kid walking into a candy store whenever I walked into the class. I absorbed a great wealth of knowledge in every lecture and let my curiosity run wild. It was great!
I hope to have as much enjoyment in my finance courses during my upper years, as I am surely going to miss how great of an experience this class was!