TRADING & FINANCIAL MARKET ANALYSIS 2015
A PRACTICAL EXPIERIENCE IN TRADING, RISK MANAGEMENT AND MARKET ANALYSIS
ENGAGING STUDENTS AT THE HEART OF GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS
Placed at the forefront of current financial
market volatility, London based trading firm
Amplify Trading delivers an invaluable
opportunity for students to develop a wellrespected practical skill-set in today’s financial
industry and an in-depth understanding of
today’s financial markets.
Building on fifteen years of trading experience,
Amplify Trading has now developed a training
operation adjacent to its trading arm. Our
financial market training is now integral to the
graduate programmes of leading investment
banks including HSBC, Bank of America, Deutsche
Bank and JPMorgan as they prepare their new
employees for roles with exposure to operations
in today’s financial markets.
Amplify Trading has worked hard to build a
reputation of excellence and professionalism
within the industry, and we continuously strive
Below: Piers Curran, Head of Trading
to exceed the expectations of all our new
trainees.
We would like to explore the potential to extend
our practical financial market training to
Universities and Business Schools interested in
providing their students with unique industry
experience before graduation. This document
details a suggested one week intensive training
structure, however all trading programmes can
be tailored exactly to each institutions needs.
Our aim in this programme is to help students
bridge the gap between an academic economic
understanding of financial markets, and the
practical implementation within them. This
programme is designed specifically to open
opportunities in a wide variety of roles within
fund management, trading and investment
banking upon completion.
INTENSIVE TRAINING AND STRUCTURED OBJECTIVES
As students progress through our intensive training using their own trading desks they will meet the
following learning objectives whilst they develop a broad range of skills within financial markets.

Apply their understanding of global macroeconomics to trade across international financial
markets within a live market environment

Analyse and understand the significance of breaking financial news for their trading portfolio
whilst applying basic econometrics for the purpose of forecasting future trends in economic
data

Through practical application develop an in-depth understanding of forwards and futures and
their application for risk management practices

Understand in detail the fundamental drivers of equity, commodity, currency and fixed
income asset classes and develop an appreciation of the inter-dependencies between them

Gain first-hand experience in the importance of behavioural finance and trading psychology
within an environment of uncertainty and risk

Understand through experience the functionality of order driven markets, trading through an
exchange in comparison to a quote driven market, trading through a market maker

Learn to understand and analyse financial markets by applying advanced technical analysis
techniques across asset classes

Gain experience using industry leading trading software to back-test trading strategies, use
linear regression models and work with Amplify’s proprietary trading algorithms

See how in reality standard economic theory may not apply within an expected timeframe
and the resulting challenge to risk management practices

Apply mentoring support and trading advice from experienced traders at Amplify Trading who
continuously monitor performance and progression
Amplify will work with all students to deliver critical careers advice and support to each candidate
to ensure they best leverage this industry renowned experience to its maximum potential.
3
Above: Amplify Trading delivering live trading programmes to Business Schools in the UK
DELIVERY, STRUCTURE AND PROGRESSION
Amplify Trading can convert any computer cluster or lecture theatre (using laptops) at your institution into a
fully fledged trading floor where each student will have personal use of their own state of the art trading
desk. Live audio feeds will be delivered from our London trading floor, engaging the students in discussions
and analysis with industry professionals. As a student goes through our structured programme they will pass
through four steps of development.
1.) INITIAL MARKET ANALYSIS For the month leading up to the trading programme we will send students
daily market analysis from leading investment banks and hedge funds so they can understand the fundamental drivers of contemporary financial markets and become accustomed to the terminology used.
2.) CLASSES IN THEORY Every day will start with key theory delivered by a senior trader related to the asset class the student will add to their portfolio that day. In this way students will understand in-depth the
fundamental drivers behind equity, commodity, currency and fixed income products and the dynamic interdependencies that exist between them.
3.) BUILDING EXPERIENCE After each theory session students will log onto their trading platform to trade
live market prices, direct from global exchanges. As they progress through the programme, they will use increased market exposure to develop their own trading style and will be able to reflect on their experiences
of managing risk within an uncertain environment.
4.) MULTI-ASSET CLASS EXPOSURE On the last day students will have their trading accounts reset to
$100,000.00 as they trade across all asset classes in direct competition with each other. It is on this day we
focus the theory on the psychological pressures of managing risk within an uncertain environment. We
would like to invite the top 5 traders to The City to spend a full day on our trading floor in London with all
expenses paid.
4.) CAREER DEVELOPMENT The training is designed to enhance each students’ competitive advantage in
the financial sector so they can add immediate value to any role within the industry. The benefits from this
experience are not specific to trading related roles only but relevant to a wide variety of roles within the industry as a whole. Amplify Trading works with many of the largest global financial institutions who all place a
high value on the experience and at the end of the programme we will work with students to make sure they
can gain maximum leverage from the experience on their CV.
© Copyright 2014 Amplify
Trading Ltd
SYSTEMS, RISK MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
Above left, Amplify’s trading platform. Above right, Amplify’s live news service
TRADING PLATFORM
All our students are set up with the institutional trading software that is used throughout all top level trading
floors around the globe. They view in real time the assets in their trading portfolio, with prices, orders and fills
being updated by the microsecond. The direct market access trading platform (above) with level two visibility
allows over 100 technical analysis functions to be applied.
Students will be introduced to quantitative trading methods to back-test their strategies and will be shown
how to incorporate our series of proprietary trading algorithms and analysis software to better assess price
opportunity.
NEWS AND ANALYSIS
When training with Amplify, students learn how to assess and understand the changing fundamental news
flow. In order to take full advantage of that knowledge it is important to get that news fast. They will all
receive access to live, up to the second market news and analysis, as soon as it breaks. Also, they will receive
daily our strategy reports from our team of analysts to help provide further insight into the products they
trade.
MARKET BREIFINGS AND DATA REVIEWS
At the start of US trading session, after the theory for that day has been delivered, they will be invited by our
Head of Trading, Piers Curran, to join a market briefing discussion to prepare for economic data throughout
the day. They will be immersed in continuous market debate with our experienced traders assessing economic
data as it gets released, providing an invaluable practical market experience.
© Copyright 2014 Amplify
Trading Ltd
TESTIMONIALS OF WORK
Institutional Feedback
“Truly a highlight of training. The facilitators were incredibly prepared
and the interface advanced. This was simply the best and most important
part of training.”
Kellie Burke, Bank of America Merrill Lynch VP, Global Markets Learning
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Amplify Trading over the past
two years”
Jasmine Quartey-Owoo HSBC Bank Plc, Graduate Recruitment and Development
“The programme at Amplify helped pull together their courses in
economics, markets, institutions and individual investment/fundamental
analysis.”
Prof Larry Louie, Dean, San Francisco Campus, Hult International Business
“Our partnership with Will and Amplify Trading is an absolutely fantastic
experience with extremely high value added to Leeds and to our students/
graduates. Amplify's unique training programme is an excellent add-on to
our well-known masters programmes and the students are absolutely
loving it!”
Dr Kostas Bozos, Director of Post Graduate and Accounting & Finance
Programmes, Leeds University Business School
© Copyright 2014 Amplify
Trading Ltd
Testimonials of work
Individual Feedback
Jiajun Tan
Student at Imperial College: Now at Citigroup (Email sent to Amplify)
It’s Jiajun here hope you are well! At this moment in time I have received 4 internship offers
for Sales and Trading from 4 major banks, and I would like to thank you and the team for
giving me the best possible start into the financial world. To be perfectly honest with you, I
really could not have done it without Amplify. Of the 4 banks I have decided to pick Citi
ahead of HSBC, RBS and Deutsche Bank (Hong Kong), due to its size scope and its London
location, do you think I’ve made the right decision?
James Parkin
Graduated in law: Now at Deutsche Bank (Email sent to Amplify)
It has been a huge pleasure working with you and learning from you. I now have a far greater
understanding of the fundamental data which moves the market, as well as the key technical
levels that traders use to determine their buy and sell decisions. I am also delighted to say
that I have accepted a position at Deutsche Bank as Vice President, Legal Counsel supporting
Global Prime Finance and Global Markets Equities. My knowledge of trading the futures
markets, combined with my legal training puts me in an excellent position to succeed in this
role.
Yana Pankratova
CASS Business School PhD: Now at INSEAD Singapore and continuing to trade
I joined Amplify to fulfil my long term dream to become a trader and study markets.
Throughout the intense program I learned how to understand what fundamental factors
drive price activity, gain good competency in technical analysis and I applied the risk
management techniques taught. Following the internship program, I started trading on the
live markets, focussing on fixed income products the German Bund and US Treasury Bonds. I
continue to trade with Amplify from my current home in Singapore which has been an
essential experience in my progression towards joining a hedge fund on my graduation from
my MBA at INSEAD.
© Copyright 2014 Amplify
Trading Ltd
STRUCTURED PRACTICAL TRAINING IN FINANCIAL MARKETS
Each session starts with key theory delivered before students move to their trading desks to apply in live market
prices the theory and practices learned. Every trading decision is monitored and reviewed in order to provide the
student with daily feedback on their progression and developing understanding of financial markets.
MONDAY: EQUITIES
08:00 - 16:30
OBJECTIVE: To understand what factors drive today’s financial markets and to become familiar
with the trading platform. To implement risk limits and basic technical analysis trading across a
variety of equity indices and understanding the international divergence between them.
08:00 - 11:00
Introduction to financial markets; Futures, forwards and derivatives
11:30 - 13:00
Overview of the credit crunch; Current market conditions
Tech analysis - support/resistance/trends, candlestick analysis; Trading economic data
14:00 - 16:30
Introduction to the functionality of the trading systems
Students trade global equity indices
TUESDAY: FOREIGN EXCHANGE
08:00 - 16:30
OBJECTIVE: To understand currency market valuations based on national economic variations
including sovereign ratings, trade balances, economic growth and monetary policy. Trade major
currency pairs as well as non USD currency crosses.
08:00 - 11:00
Monday trading review; The banking system, money supply and money demand; Exchange rates
and international macroeconomics
11:30 - 13:00
Tech analysis: Charting techniques; Trailing stops and OCO’s
14:00 - 16:30
Students trade major FX currency pairs and non USD currency crosses
WEDNESDAY: COMMODITIES
08:00 - 16:30
OBJECTIVE: To apply a practical understanding of price discovery in energy and metal markets.
To apply forward strategies to understand future delivery price drivers including geopolitics,
weather patterns and changing supply fundamentals such as US shale gas production.
08:00 - 11:00
Tuesday trading review; Commodity focus hard and soft, the role of Gold;
11:30 - 13:00
Outlook for world oil review; contemporary global commodity drivers; commodity prices and the
impact on correlated assets; Technical Analysis : Fibonacci retracement, MACD and Pivot Points
14:00 - 16:30
Trading Crude oil for the Wednesday DOE supply and demand data release.
THURSDAY: FIXED INCOME
08:00- 16:30
OBJECTIVE: To apply bond theory taught across different duration of German government
bonds and US Treasuries. Trade across the yield curve and understand the effect of contemporary
monetary policy on fixed income valuations. To apply more advanced technical analysis tools.
08:00 - 11:00
Wednesday trading review; Fixed Income products and markets; The secondary market; The auction process;
European sovereign debt crisis; Bond rating and rating agencies
11:30 - 13:00
Arbitrage and the changing correlation between financial assets; Trading strategy and algorithm analysis
14:00 - 16:30
Trading US Treasuries and German Government bonds
FRIDAY: MULIT-ASSET TRADING
08:00 - 16:30
OBJECTIVE: To trade all assets simultaneously keeping to all risk management protocols set. To
understand in-depth the behavioural pressures on trading decisions as accounts are reset to
$100,000.00 and students trade in direct competition with each other.
08:00 - 11:00
Thursday trading review; Risk management and performance measurement
11:30 - 13:00
Trading Psychology ; Prospect theory, herd mentality, investor bias and personality profiling test
14:00 - 16:30
Trading all assets in final trading competition
© Copyright 2014 Amplify
Trading Ltd
A TRADING EXPERIENCE WITH AMPLIFY TRADING
Our one week trading placement programme provides an unprecedented experience for students or
recent graduates to develop skills recognised throughout the industry, receiving a clear competitive
advantage within the field of finance on graduation. Through the creation of a professional trading environment in which the students apply the key theory taught, we can help students meet the increasing demand in experience expected of them by many of our largest fund management and investment
banking clients.
The structure suggested is expected to be tailored to your institution’s exact needs and requirements.
For example you may prefer the lectures and trading sessions to be split or you may prefer the sessions to run alongside a current module to be delivered over a number of weeks.
Should your institution wish to have a demonstration day to see exactly how the trading platform may
work and how the sessions may be structure we would be happy to provide a trial.
Yours sincerely,
William de Lucy
See what others say about us on
Managing Director
Below: Amplify Trading, all students linked directly to the trading floor in The City