ECON3003Global Trade and Finance

Available in 2024
Course code

ECON3003

Units

10 units

Level

3000 level

2024 Course Timetables

Course handbook

Description

This course introduces students to the fundamental theories of international trade and finance, emphasising contemporary global policy issues including sustainability and development. Students will examine why and how nations gain from international trade in goods, services and assets. Simple models are used to analyse the current problems in foreign trade concerning commercial policies, tariff and non-tariff barriers, economic integration, regional trade arrangements, and new trade issues such as labour standards, human rights, and environmental protection. The political economy of agricultural price support, export subsidies, and other issues are examined. This course's second interrelated part illustrates key models and issues in international finance. This includes an analysis of global capital markets, international parity relations and foreign investment. The contentious nature of international trading rules, exchange-rate regimes, monetary unions, capital movements, financial crises, labour migration, and the roles of the World Trade Organisation, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are explored.

Availability2024 Course Timetables

Newcastle City Precinct

  • Semester 1 - 2024

Singapore PSB

  • Trimester 3 - 2024 (Singapore)

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the reasons behind the rapid increase in global trade and its differential implications for standards of living internationally.

2. Use economic models and principles, including trade models, to analyse the impacts of changes in commercial policies, trade and non-tariff barriers, and taxes and subsidies.

3. Analyse sector- and industry-specific implications for an economy of changes in the international trading system.

4. Use international finance theories and models to explain the evolution of global capital markets and policy issues.

5. Analyse the operations of global capital markets and their implications for domestic trade-oriented businesses with respect to production, investment and employment.

Content

Lectures may include, but are not restricted to, the following topics:

  1. Trends and patterns of global trade and capital movements
  2. Factors behind the recent growth of world trade and foreign investment (direct and portfolio)
  3. Basic theories of international trade and theories of trade policy
  4. Trade strategies and economic growth
  5. Trade policy: instruments and issues
  6. Foreign trade risks and strategies to manage risks through derivatives
  7. Methods of foreign trade financing
  8. Issues in global and regional trade arrangements
  9. Exchange-rate determination, policies and issues
  10. Foreign investment analysis (portfolio and direct)
  11. Globalisation of capital markets
  12. Case studies: Africa, Asia, and other regions

Requisite

Students must have successfully completed ECON2002.

Assessment items

In Term Test: In Class Tests

Project: Group Project

Formal Examination: Final Examination

Contact hours

Semester 1 - 2024 - Newcastle City Precinct

Integrated Learning Session-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 13 week(s) starting in week 1
  • Students are expected to complete 4 hours of guided learning via online preparation, lectures, interactive workshops, tutorials, discussion groups or self-directed learning and an additional 6 hours of independent study per week.

Trimester 3 - 2024 (Singapore) - Singapore PSB

Integrated Learning Session-1
  • Face to Face On Campus 2 hour(s) per week(s) for 13 week(s) starting in week 1
  • Students are expected to complete 4 hours of guided learning via online preparation, lectures, interactive workshops, tutorials, discussion groups or self-directed learning and an additional 6 hours of independent study per week.

Course outline