EFB201 Financial Markets - Essay Writing Assessment

EFB201  Assessment 1 (Essay Writing)

Weighting = 40% 

Length = 2000 words (+/- 10%)

Referencing = Any QUT accepted method of referencing is fine (e.g. Harvard, APA)

Due Date = Tuesday 8 October uploaded to Blackboard Site by 11.59pm.

You have been employed as a consultant to a passively managed equity fund, which currently attempts to match the S&P/ASX200 index. The fund is considering the possibility of switching to active management as this will allow them to charge significantly higher fees. Your task is to write a critical essay evaluating the arguments for and against the efficient markets hypothesis and behavioural finance and the implications of these for the future direction of the fund.

Your essay should include (but not only be) a discussion of the work of Nobel Laureates Eugene Fama and Richard Thaler. You should utilise existing literature (scholarly journals) on market efficiency and behavioural finance as well as real world examples to support your arguments. Your essay should include a conclusion on the validity of market efficiency and any implications of your research for the future direction of the fund.