International Trade, Finance & Investment

Report - Guidelines

Deadline: 21st January 2022

Word count: 3000 (+/- 10%)

General Instructions:
Font: Arial / Times New Roman
Font size: 12
Font color: Black only
Headings: Size 14, Bold and underlined
Sub-headings: size 12 and Bold

Scenario
You are a junior consultant working for an international investment organization. The firm has
some new prospective clients visiting the Head Office in London. Your manager, the head of
emerging markets, is very keen to sign the clients but wants to improve their understanding of
international trade, finance and investment matters.

You are tasked with writing a comprehensive report on the following:

Finance is considered as the life blood or the engine of growth for international trade and
development.

a. Evaluate how the financial markets work to allocate capital within a domestic economy
and internationally for trade, investment and development purposes.

b. Using an emerging economy of your choice critically evaluate what are the key
challenges that country faces due to industrialization and trade policies?
 1. Title page

2. Table of contents

3. Executive summary
A recap, using own words the assessment brief per the MSG and an outline of the
subtopics covered in the report. Need to include:

 Purpose of the report (to provide investment-related advice for a potential investor
into the economy of a specific country) Should explain why a particular country’s
economy has been chosen.
 Highlight the key areas investigated from the rest of the report.

Question – 1

Brief background of financial markets

Brief introduction on financial institutions (debt & equity markets). Give examples

 Identification of key players in the market broken down into the following
categories:

Investors/borrowers/lenders such as private individuals, businesses, and financial

institutions such as banks

Domestic economy and capital allocation

Focus on the purpose/focus of what is Capital allocation (the raising of large amounts of
money for investment purposes whilst considering potential profit and risk criteria
Examples: An explanation of how the Bank of England operates in terms of how they
attempt to achieve particular objectives through their Monetary and Fiscal policies
  Banking system UK (give examples)

1. Role of central banks UK

2. Monetary policy UK
3. Regulations governing the financial system UK

 Domestic Money market UK (give examples)

a. Savings – (short term)

b. Loans – (long term)

 Stock markets UK (give examples)

1. London stock exchange

2. AIM (London stock exchange for small businesses)

International economy and capital allocation

 International capital markets (give examples)

1. Commercial banks:
a. Savings - (short term)
b. Loans - (long term)

2. Bond markets - (Euro dollars)

3. Foreign Exchange markets
4. Global stock markets
5. Derivatives
6. Non – bank financial institutions (pension funds, insurance companies)

Discuss any of the following trade, financial and investment theories:

 Ricardian theory (discuss any 2 from the following)

 opportunity cost
 comparative advantage
 absolute advantage

Discuss briefly the contributions of the following in international trade:

1. World trade organisation (WTO, OECD etc.)

2. Regional trade agreements (NAFTA, EFTA etc).
3. Investment treaties between states e.g. FDI etc.  
 Guidelines: Question - 2

 Evaluation of emerging economy of your choice

 Introduction to the country of your choice

 Evaluate the selected country’s growth based on recent figures. You may consider any 4
of the following.
a) Agriculture
b) Services (IT, finance, insurance, business services, personal services, )
c) capital market
d) Production / Manufacturing
e) Inflation
f) Foreign direct investment
g) Employment
h) International trade (Major exports and imports)

 Critical evaluation of challenges that country faces due to industrialisation and trade
policies.

 Critically assess the challenges / problems the chosen economy is facing due to
industrialisation / development. You may consider any 3 of the following:

a) Infrastructure
b) Corruption
c) Tax problems
d) Political stability
e) Labour productivity
f) Environmental concerns

 Critically assess the challenges / problems the chosen economy is facing due to trade
policies set by WTO.
a) Recent trade policy
b) Approaches to trade agreements
c) Challenges faced due to trade policies set by WTO / GATT

 Conclusion
 Recommendations
 An overview of the key findings of the report and associated recommendations that may
be helpful to a potential investor should be presented with supporting evidences. This
should discuss:

 Key areas for profitable investment

 Areas to be cautious and areas of investment to avoid
 Particular strategies for investment e.g. partnerships should also be
highlighted.

Assessment criteria and marking scheme:

Marking 100-80% 79-70% 69-60% 59-50% 49-40% 39-30% 29-0%

scheme

Content Extensive and Very wide and Broad and sound Satisfactory use Limited use of Poor knowledge Failure to
Knowledge comprehensive comprehensive use of relevant of relevant legal relevant of the trade, demonstrate
and use of use of appropriate appropriate appropriate financial and knowledge of
understandin appropriate appropriate trade, financial trade, financial trade, financial investment the trade,
g: trade, financial trade, financial and investment and investment and investment theories and financial and
and investment and investment theories theories and theories and materials. investment
theories, theories concepts and materials. materials. theories and
concepts and concepts and materials. Poor knowledge materials.
Knowledge, materials. materials. Very Satisfactory Limited and
analysis of wide knowledge Broad knowledge and knowledge and understanding Failure to
relevant Extensive and knowledge and understanding understanding presented with demonstrate
material knowledge and understanding understanding presented with presented with exploration and knowledge and
understanding presented with presented with exploration and exploration and critique of understanding
presented with the exploration exploration and critique of critique of information/ide to explore and
the exploration and critique of critique of information/ide information/ide as from a critique of
and critique of information/ide information/ide as from a as from a comprehensive information/idea
information/ide as from a as from a comprehensive comprehensive range of sources s from a
(30 marks)
as from a comprehensive comprehensive range of range of materials. comprehensive
comprehensive range of range of sources. sources. range of sources.
range of sources. sources.
sources.

Level of Demonstrates Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Demonstrates a Failure to

analysis, an exceptional very good level sound level of satisfactory level weak level of poor level of present
synthesis and level of of argument argument with of argument argument with argument with argument with
logical flow of argument with with critical critical with critical critical critical critical
arguments critical judgement in judgement in judgement in judgement in judgement in judgement or
judgement in analysis, analysis, analysis, analysis, analysis, analysis,
Quality of analysis, evaluation, evaluation, evaluation, evaluation, evaluation, evaluation,
discussion, evaluation, synthesis and synthesis and synthesis and synthesis and synthesis and synthesis and
arguments, synthesis and application application application application application application
analysis, application knowledge to knowledge to knowledge to knowledge to knowledge to knowledge to
evaluation knowledge to differing differing differing differing differing differing
and synthesis differing contexts. contexts. contexts. contexts. contexts. contexts.
contexts
(25 marks )
Logical flow The outstanding Very good and Good flow of The satisfactory The unclear flow The incoherent The confusing or
of arguments and professional professional discussion. flow of of discussion. flow of illogical flow of
flow of flow of discussion. discussion. discussion.
(10 marks) discussion. discussion.

Organisation Exceptionally Very good, clear Good clear Satisfactory Unclear Poor structure Failure to
and structure clear structure structure with structure with clear structure structure with an provide
with an an executive an executive with an executive
executive summary aimed summary aimed executive With an summary aimed an executive
summary aimed at explicitly at explicitly summary aimed executive at explicitly summary aimed
at explicitly identify the identify the at explicitly summary aimed identify the at explicitly
identify the relevant trade, relevant trade, identify the at explicitly relevant trade, identify the
Structure of identify the relevant trade,
relevant trade, finance and finance and relevant trade, finance and
answer relevant trade, finance and
finance and investment investment finance and investment
investment areas to be areas to be investment finance and areas to be investment
areas to be addressed addressed areas to be investment addressed areas to be
addressed supported by supported by addressed areas to be supported by addressed
(15 marks)
supported by analysis in the analysis in the supported by addressed analysis in the supported by
analysis in the main body and main body and analysis in the supported by main body and analysis in the
main body and firm conclusion firm conclusion main body and analysis in the firm conclusion main body and
firm conclusion of the areas of the areas firm conclusion main body and of the areas firm conclusion
of the areas discussed. discussed. of the areas firm conclusion discussed. of the areas
discussed. discussed. of the areas discussed.
discussed.

Use of Exceptional Extensive range Very good Satisfactory Poor and Very poor Failure to
literature, range of of background background referencing inappropriate reference. reference
quality of background reading with reading with mostly referencing. appropriately.
referencing reading with excellent consistent and appropriate.
and clarity of excellent referencing. appropriate
expression referencing. referencing.

Referencing

(15 marks)

Clarity of Exceptional and A high level of Very good Satisfactory Poor academic Very poor Failure to
expression professional academic writing academic writing academic writing writing ability academic writing demonstrate
and academic academic writing ability ability ability with poor ability with very academic writing
writing skills ability demonstrating demonstrating demonstrating communication. communication. ability.
(5 marks) demonstrating articulate and articulate and clear and fluent Many spelling Excessive
articulate and fluent fluent communication. and grammar spelling and Excessive
fluent communication. communication. Some spelling mistakes. grammar spelling and
communication. Excellent Few spelling and and grammar mistakes. grammar
Excellent spelling and grammar mistakes. mistakes.
spelling and grammar. mistakes.
grammar.
Learning materials
The reading list for this module is available on Blackboard in the module area or by
searching https://uwl.rl.talis.com/index.html. This shows real-time availability of books in the
library and provides direct links to online resources, recommended by your lecturer.
Remember to log into Blackboard daily to receive all the latest news and support available at
your module sites!
Subject guides (https://www.uwl.ac.uk/library/finding-and-using-information/subject-guides-
libguides) are also available to help you find relevant information for assignments, with contact details
of the Academic Support Librarian for your School.

Essential Reading

Paul R. Krugman, Maurice Obstfeld, Marc J. Melitz (2014) International economics: theory
and policy, 10 edition Pearson Education.
Print ISBNs: PB: 9781292019550, 1292019557

Recommended Reading

Frederic S. Mishkin, Stanley G. Eakins, (2012) Financial markets and institutions, 7th edition,
Pearson Education. Print ISBN: 0273754440, 9780273754442
Petros Mavroidis, (2012) Trade in goods: the GATT and the other WTO agreements regulating
trade in goods, Oxford.Print ISBN: 9780199657483, 0199657483

John H. Barton, Judith L. Goldstein, Timothy E. Josling, Richard H. Steinberg, (2006) The
evolution of the trade regime: politics, law, and economics of the GATT and the WTO,
Princeton University PressPrint ISBN: 0691124507, 9780691124506

John P. Lewis, Devesh Kapur, Richard Webb (1997) The World Bank: its first half century,
Brookings Institution. Print ISBN: 081575230X, 0815752342

GOOD LUCK 