Applied Financial Trading Foundation Programme

Mode of Attendance: On campus or online

Duration: 4 weeks
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes:
This course aims to improve trading profitability by providing students with a comprehensive
understanding of how financial markets operate in the real world and how fundamental, technical
and psychological influences affect market prices. Students will learn how to study price action of
currencies, stock indices, precious metals and commodities in a structured way with access to real
time market information on which to apply this knowledge. Knowledge will be tested as the course
progresses via a series of short multiple-choice tests.
The course is presented by professional traders who will share their own experiences in the market
to help students derive the maximum benefit from the many sources of information currently
available.
Students who successfully complete the programme will be able to trade financial markets within a
structured plan with good risk management and strong psychological control. They will be able to
interpret information from different sources and assess the potential impacts of this information on
FX and other financial markets. They will also be able to analyse market prices from a fundamental
and/or technical perspective and interact with colleagues using appropriate market terminology
and etiquette. Students will also have developed the following sets of skills:
Knowledge and understanding:
Decision making skills in finance and investments
Mathematical and technical techniques used in finance and investments
Trading decision-making within a financial context
An understanding of money management and risk management techniques
Intellectual skills:
Problem solving and critical analysis
Ability to apply fundamental and technical trading techniques
Demonstrate competence in critical reasoning and decision making
Professional skills:
Be able to make investment decisions based on financial information
Apply mathematical and statistical techniques in trading analysis & research
Exhibit familiarity with financial market trading systems and databases
Transferable/key skills:
Listening & information retrieval skills
Trading and market analysis skills
Collection and presentation of statistical trading data

The London Academy of Trading

Programme Syllabus:
PHASE 1: Where to Start?
Understanding the FX market
Overview of fundamentals & major political events
Checking the macro news for the day
Identifying any long term trends
Building a Trading Strategy
Fundamental and/or technical approach?
Select your ideal trading timeframe
Select the instruments you want to trade
Risk management & lot sizing
PHASE 2: Analysing Price Action
Which type of chart to plot Line, bar or candle?
Support & resistance, trendlines & channels
What makes one support or resistance level stronger than another?
How likely is it to hold? How big will the impact be if it is broken?
Setting Targets & Applying Stop Losses
What are you trying to achieve?
Are your price targets realistic?
Are your stop losses at the correct level?
Understanding your Emotions
Trading psychology
Understanding our natural human biases
Managing emotions when holding winning or losing positions
PHASE 3: Analytical Tools Price Action
Using Japanese Candlestick analysis to identify shifts in investor sentiment
Identifying price patterns & using them to generate achievable price targets
How to incorporate Fibonacci retracements & extensions into your trade plan
Analytical Tools Technical Indicators
Using momentum indicators (oscillators) to confirm other technical signals
o Momentum & Rate of Change
o RSI & Slow Stochastics - which parameters to use and why
o Trading signals & divergence
How to use moving averages
o Identify underlying trends
o Generate trading signals

Corporate Connections:
The lecturers and mentors for this course are investment professional with decades of experience
of working in the financial markets. Passing on real-life experiences and knowledge of the fastmoving world of international finance is an integral part of this course.
International Dimensions:
This course has a strong international focus and will discuss the correlation between various global
markets across many geographical regions. All major asset classes will be covered, although
emphasis will be focused on foreign exchange, stock indices, precious metals & commodities.
Method of Teaching:
The on-campus course will be taught via mentored trading sessions, lectures and by individual
reading and market study. Understanding will be reinforced with extensive practical trading
sessions on the academy trading floor.
The online course will be taught via a series of HD video lectures, regular daily live webinars, plus
ongoing interaction with tutors via live chat rooms. Understanding will be reinforced with extensive
online trading sessions delivered via webinar.
Learning Hours:
On-campus Course: Students will be based on the academy trading floor for most of the day, with
regular academic sessions provided throughout the course.
Contact hours
Further private study & trading
TOTAL

100 hours
60 hours
160 hours

Private study comprises guided reading associated with the academic content, application of
trading strategies explained during academic & mentoring sessions, practice trading on real-time
markets and self-directed learning in the subject area of the programme.
Online Course: Contact hours with be comprised of daily webinars and access to HD video lectures.
Contact hours
Further private study & trading
TOTAL

40 hours
60 hours
100 hours

Private study comprises guided reading associated with online academic videos, application of
trading strategies explained during daily webinars, practice trading on real-time markets and selfdirected learning in the subject area of the programme.