Fundamentals of investments

This course introduces the core concepts of investing, making it ideal for university students majoring in finance and beginner investors alike. You’ll start by learning how to measure returns and understand the true impact of risk, volatility, and inflation. As you progress, you’ll explore how investors make decisions under uncertainty, how diversification improves portfolio performance, and how theory connects to real-world investing through models like the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). ?? What you’ll learn in this course: - How to calculate stock returns and compare arithmetic vs. geometric averages - Measuring expected return, volatility, and the impact of inflation - Understanding risk preferences and their role in investment decisions - Portfolio theory basics: return & risk calculations, diversification benefits - The Capital Allocation Line (CAL) and Security Market Line (SML) - Key models like the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) - Performance evaluation with the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, and Jensen’s alpha Perfect for finance students, aspiring analysts, or anyone looking to make informed investment choices — this course will give you the solid foundation you need to move confidently into the world of investing.