Financial Markets Foundation Qualification (FMFQ)
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The Financial Markets Foundation Qualification (FMFQ) is an introductory level programme intended for anyone entering a career in the financial markets. It introduces participants to the main features of the capital markets and explores how and why they are used. The course also looks at a range of financial products incl. debt, equity, FX and derivatives and consider their uses.
The programme is intended to provide ‘breadth of knowledge’ to make it relevant to people pursuing careers in the front office, middle office and operations areas. The syllabus content places an even emphasis on introducing and explaining the key concepts of each subject area to develop candidates’ practical knowledge and skill sets.
Learning Outcomes
By completing this course you will be able to:
- Recognise the key players in the financial markets including issuers, investors and intermediaries
- Be cognisant of the interaction between cash and derivative markets
- Identify the key features of both equity and debt products
- Recognise the structure of the FX market
Who should attend?
The qualification is relevant to a wide range of job functions and areas; anyone who would benefit from an understanding of financial markets, participants and products – and how they all come together. Candidates come from organisations involved in both the sell-side and buy-side of the industry plus insurance, accounting, IT firms supporting the industry and the financial press.
The syllabus does not assume any prior study or work experience other than a general knowledge of mathematics such as basic algebra and statistics.
Assessment
The exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions of which candidates must answer a minimum of 30 questions correctly, with a score of 45 or more earning a distinction. You will have six months in which to study the material, book and complete an online, fully invigilated exam.
We use a third-party exam invigilation service called ProctorU to administer the exams on our assessed courses. We recommend you take a few minutes to watch this video before you take your exam, which provides information on what to expect on the day. You can also take a look at some further information here.
More information regarding your specific exam will be available in the Exam Orientation page on Moodle, the ICMA training platform.
Certification and Programme Recognition
ICMA is a member of the CPD® Certification Service, an FCA-approved qualifications provider and approved by the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong as provider of Continuous Professional Training (CPT).
This course is certified by ICMA and the ICMA Centre, Henley Business School, University of Reading and accredited by CPD® Certification Service.
ICMA recommends that 24 learning hours can be associated with this course, based on attended/undertaken hours of study required to successfully complete the learning outcomes.
A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who successfully pass the final exam of this course – see Assessment section for more details.
Please note that your course certificate of attendance or completion should be sufficient to satisfy any professional development requirements – if you require further evidence, please contact us at education@icmagroup.org.
Course Trainer
Gail Rolland
The syllabus is divided into the following key topic areas:
1. Overview of the Financial Markets
- Background to the capital markets
- Key Players
- Trade Flow
2. FX
- Introduction to the Foreign Exchange Markets
- Spot FX
- Cross Rates
- Forward FX
3. Debt
- Basic Principles of Debt Products
- Money Markets
- Long-term Debt
4. Equities
- Core Features of Equity Products
- Issuance and Trading Practice
- Equity Valuation
5. Derivatives
- Basics of the Derivatives Market
- Forwards
- Futures
- Options
Livestreamed Course
ICMA courses are delivered via video conferencing accessed on our digital learning platform, using the most effective pedagogical approaches and incorporating interactive functions like virtual breakout rooms.
The FMFQ live sessions are delivered over the course of five 3.5 hour sessions over the course of two weeks. You will be given access to the course materials before the live sessions, and will have access to those for a total of six months. During these six months you will have the option to keep working through the course materials at your own pace. Please note to ensure you book and take the exam within these six months.
Livestreamed course fees
ICMA Members: EUR 2,300 + VAT (if applicable)
Non Members: EUR 2,950 + VAT (if applicable)
- All payments must be made in Euro.
Contact
Should you have any queries, please contact education@icmagroup.org.
