ØABED3300 International Financial Management Course description

The objective of this course is to develop the ability to understand and manage the particular financial challenges of multinational firms. These firms buy, sell, invest and source capital in foreign markets. They are thus faced with currency rate risk as well as risk related to foreign interest rates. Currency and interest rates are related to each other and to inflation and economic development. International financial management involves measuring risk exposure, evaluating the various options available in financial markets for dealing with the risks and making value maximizing decisions.

The course primarily covers topics that do not build on elective courses. Thus required courses from first two years suffice although some concepts from elective courses, Corporate Finance (Foretaksfinans) and International Economics in particular, are useful.

No prerequisites.

Knowledge

The student

• appreciates the complexities involved in international financial transactions.
• understands the various factors that help determine exchange rates.
• can calculate foreign exchange risk exposures.
• understands the various risk mitigation techniques, such as derivatives, that can be used to hedge foreign exchange rate risks.

Skills

The student can

• apply financial theory in analysis of complex risk management problems faced by multinational firms.
• develop risk mitigating strategies exploiting instruments that are traded in international financial markets.
• assess value effects for the firm's owners of risks and risk mitigating techniques in order to devise value maximizing strategies

The course material is discussed in lectures. Instructor provides suggestions for voluntary exercises. The students are encouraged to work in groups on one assignment that count 25% towards final grading. However, in some special cases a student can work individually on this assignment.

None

The grading is based on two components: 1. Obligatory Assignment; 2. Written examination.

The obligatory assignment counts 25% of the final grade. This assignment is to be carried out in groups of 2-3 students. However, in some special cases a student may be allowed to work individually. The teacher will give information regarding the deadline for handing in the assignment. The four-hour written examination at the end of the term counts 75% towards the final grade.

The final grade is based on weighted average of the obtained grades of the two components i.e. 25% for assignment + 75% for written exam.

The students who wish to write the examination later, or the students who want to re-write the examination are not required to do the assignment afresh. Their obtained grade of the assignment shall count towards their final grade.

A list of reference aids allowed will be published on our website.

Letter grading A-F.

The course instructor will grade the assignment.

The written exam will be assessed by an internal and an external examiner. A selection of at least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded to exam papers assessed by the external and internal examiner will be used to determine the level of all exam papers.

Muhammad Azeem Qureshi