Gráfico representando un análisis financiero con líneas de tendencia en movimiento.
Summer School

Investments and Financial Markets

Learn how markets work and how to invest wisely

  • Home
  • Investments and Financial Markets

  • Learning

    Face-to-face

  • Language

    English

  • Start

    15 June - 26 June 2026

  • Credits

    6 ECTS

Investments and Financial Markets Summer Programme

Who is it aimed at?

University students, professors, researchers, and professionals working in the financial industry.

Embark on a practical and data-driven journey into the world of investments and financial markets by enrolling in the Investment and Financial Markets Programme at CUNEF Universidad!

Whether you are preparing for a career in finance, managing portfolios, or simply aiming to make more informed investment decisions, this programme is designed for you. A background in economics, finance, or quantitative disciplines is recommended but not required.


Why choose this programme?

  • Master the foundations of investment and market analysis. 

    Gain a deep understanding of how financial markets operate, how securities are priced, and how investors construct and manage portfolios. Learn to interpret economic data, financial statements, and market indicators to identify investment opportunities.

  • Gain hands-on experience with professional tools. 

    Work directly with Bloomberg terminals, Python, and Portfolio123 to analyze data, build models, and backtest investment strategies using real market data. Develop the quantitative and analytical skills demanded by today’s investment professionals.

  • Learn through real-world cases and data-driven simulations.

    Engage in applied exercises based on actual financial data and historical events. Explore how asset allocation, risk management, and factor investing shape portfolio performance across different market conditions. 

  • Design and evaluate your own investment strategies.

    Develop and test investment strategies for institutional portfolios or personal finance applications. Use backtesting to validate ideas, measure performance, and refine decision-making frameworks aligned with your investment goals.


Learning Objectives

1

Understand the main types of financial assets and distinguish between active and passive management strategies (ETFs, mutual funds, etc.).

2

Analyze and construct traditional portfolios such as the 60/40 model, as well as alternative approaches like risk parity.

3

Apply portfolio theory principles to perform tactical asset allocation.

4

Understand key equity investment factors and their use in stock selection strategies.

5

Use performance and risk metrics (Sharpe Ratio, Treynor Ratio, Information Ratio, Value-at-Risk, etc.) to evaluate portfolios.

6

Apply risk and return attribution methodologies.

7

Work with practical tools for portfolio simulation and analysis (Python, Portfolio123, Portfolio Visualizer).

8

Work on practical case studies to design and assess investment strategies.

Fotografía aérea del Campus Almansa de CUNEF Universidad, rodeado de zonas verdes

Methodology

The programme blends theory with applied learning through interactive lectures, workshops, and investment labs. Each day early sessions cover the key principles of asset classes, portfolio theory, and factor investing, while end-of-day workshops allow participants to apply these concepts through simulations, portfolio design exercises, and case studies. Students work in teams to develop and defend their own investment strategies, receiving feedback from faculty and industry professionals.

Course program

Day 1. Financial Assets and Investment Vehicles

  • Equity, fixed income, commodities, real estate
  • Active vs. passive investing: mutual funds, ETFs, index funds

Workshop: Building a Passive Portfolio with ETFs.

Day 2. Building Diversified Portfolios

  • Mean-variance optimization and portfolio theory
  • The 60/40 portfolio: intuition, strengths and limitations 
  • Workshop: Constructing a 60/40 Portfolio with Bloomberg

Day 3. Beyond the 60/40 Portfolio

  • Alternative allocation strategies: risk parity portfolios

Workshop: Comparing 60/40 vs. Risk Parity Portfolios with Portfolio Visualizer 

Day 4. Tactical Asset Allocation

  • Using ETFs for tactical tilts
  • Macro indicators and timing considerations

Workshop: Designing Tactical Asset Allocation Strategies with Portfolio123 (3+2h)

Day 5. Investment Lab – Part I

  • Teamwork: Portfolio simulation challenge
  • Mentoring session with faculty and guest practitioners

Day 6. Equity Factor Models and Stock Selection

  • CAPM and multifactor asset pricing models
  • Multifactor strategies and implementation challenges

Workshop: Factor Investing in Practice: Designing a Multifactor Portfolio with Portfolio123

Day 7. Risk and Performance Measures

  • Sharpe, Treynor, and Information Ratio
  • Tracking error, alpha, and beta decomposition

Workshop: Python Lab on Performance Analytics

Day 8. Risk Attribution and Portfolio Diagnostics

  • Factor attribution and performance decomposition
  • Machine learning in portfolio management
  • AI for factor analysis

Workshop: Attribution Analysis of a Multifactor Equity Portfolio with Python

Day 9. Investor Behavior and Market Anomalies

  • Behavioral biases: overconfidence, loss aversion, herding, and disposition effects
  • Trading strategies with market anomalies and investor bias

Case Study: Behavioral Biases in Action, GameStop/AMC meme stock surge and cryptocurrency bubbles

Day 10. Investment Lab – Part II

  • Teamwork: Designing an equity strategy using factors and tactical allocation
  • Mentoring session with faculty and guest practitioners

Life at CUNEF Universidad

At CUNEF Universidad, you will find an environment that supports and encourages learning and professional development, with the sole purpose of enhancing your talent.

For more than 50 years, CUNEF’s guiding principles have been the specialisation of its academic offering, the excellence of its students, professors and researchers, and its international vision. In the next 50 years, CUNEF Universidad intends to follow these same principles, combined with: academic rigour, to be a benchmark in teaching and research; dedication, to become a driving force for research and innovation; plurality, to integrate different points of view, and encourage transversality and collaboration in decision-making; and equity, to guarantee equal opportunities through a scholarship and financial aid system that enables the institution to shape leaders capable of transferring these values to their environment.

Why come to Madrid?

Madrid is a vibrant city with a vast cultural heritage and many sights and activities to explore:

  • Landscape of Light (Prado, Reina Sofia, Thyssen-Bornemisza, Retiro Park)
  • Wide range of cultural activities (Opera, Theatre, Ballet)
  • Unique monuments and buildings (Royal Palace, Cibeles, Puerta de Alcalá)
  • Culinary venues