Securities, Market Functions, and Performance Evaluation
This week you will provide an overview of the stock market and evaluate its past performance. Your discussion should include:
General
• The structure of the stock market and how it operates
• How transactions are conducted in the stock market
• Securities that could be bought or sold in the stock market
• Other available financial instruments besides stocks
• How they are used
Evaluation of Overall Stock Market Performance Using the Main Indexes:
• Compare and contrast the three major stock market indexes (i.e. Dow Jones Industrial Average, SP 500, and NASDAQ Composite).
• Graph the performance of indexes from 1996 to present.
• Analyze the trends and explain the major events from 1996.
• Discuss the overall economic outlook and analysts’ forecast of the stock market.
• What are the factors that affect how the stock market performs?
• Where do you see the stock market going over the next three months? One year? Three years?
Your well-written paper must meet the following requirements:
• Be two to three pages in length for the analysis and explanations, APA format
• Include graphs and Excel spreadsheets; these spreadsheets must be embedded in the Word document as an appendix after your analysis and explanations
• Include a minimum of three credible references.
