NCI Courses

• Functions of Financial Markets, Participants and Service Providers and their Roles and Responsibilities • Introduction to Capital Markets –primary and secondary markets.

• Investors – individuals, partnerships, limited companies, pension funds & institutional investors • Financial Needs – Investment and Regular Saving. Growth V’s Income. Security V’s Risk. • Risk Profiles-Risk and Return objectives of a client. Investment experience to date

• Main and Alternative Asset Classes • Different types of risk – Individual Stock, Market, Investment manager, Currency, Default, Inflation, Return and Interest Rate Risk. • Concept of Volatility of returns and differences in volatility according to class. • Risk and Return: Diversification and Security Correlation • Introduction to modern portfolio theory: Diversification • Optimising and maximising investment returns

• Introduction to Bonds, Bond Prices and Yields , Factors influencing bond returns • Risks associated with investing in bonds • Quoted bonds, Costs of bond transactions, Settlement procedures, • Tracker Bonds –Deposit and Assurance Tracker Bonds • An Post Savings and Saving Bonds, National Solidarity Bond. • Deposits – term, risk, rates of interest.

• Private vs. public limited company • An introduction to investing in ordinary and preference shares, Dividend Income V’s Capital Gain • The Irish Stock Exchange: Function & role. Market abuse regulations & Insider trading. • ISEQ indices and key performance indicators • Factors affecting share prices • Brokers: Discretionary, advisory and execution only services • Buy/Selling Shares, clearing, settlement and costs • Registering ownership of quoted shares • Risk of investing in shares - Yield gaps and Equity risk premiums • Costs, benefits and tax treatment of investing in unquoted public and private shares, including EII company shares and Irish Film shares • Employer incentivised schemes – SAYE and Share Options Scheme – features, compare /contrast, benefits, restriction & tax treatment.

• Collective Investments vs. Individual direct investment – advantages and disadvantages • Collective Investment Funds: Open and Closed End Funds • Legal Structures and Regulatory Provisions applying to Life assurance investment bonds, unit trusts, exempt unit trusts, designated investment companies, investment limited partnerships • Undertakings for Collective Investments in Transferable Securities (UCITS) • Offshore investment, including intermediary responsibilities • Fund Management styles - active, passive and consensus investment, specialist management, multi-manager, core/satellite, top down/bottom up, value V’s growth. Market Efficiency

• Savings plans, features, charges, limitations and risks • Investment bonds, features, charges, limitations and risks • Comparison between life assurance investments and collective investments • Arrangement and ownership of life assurance saving and investment policies

• Derivatives – including options and Futures, CFDs • Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) • Advantages and disadvantages of ETFs as a means of investing in quoted shares • Irish Stock Exchange Traded Fund Plc. ISEQ 20 EFT

• Consumer Protection Code and investments • Trustee Authorised Investment Act 1958 • Credit Union investments

• Tax treatment on deposits and deposit based tracker bonds • Tax treatment on returns from collective investments, life assurance savings and investment policies and life assurance tracker bonds • Taxation of equity investments, capital growth and dividends, derivatives, EII and Film investment • Capital gains tax

• Income type and tax schedules • Tax reliefs and credits

• The Economy- GDP & GNP • Inflation and Deflation, Unemployment: Causes and Effects • Monetary and Fiscal Policy

• Inflation, deflation, RIY, IRR & CAR • Accumulation & discounting • Impact of time on savings and investments

• Concept and benefits of financial planning, life stages • Savings and investment needs, identify, quantify, recommend, and review • Compare and contrast various types of savings and investment products • Create a statement of suitability for savings and investment recommendations