IRS and Financial Swaps - Fundamentals

Interest rate swaps and other financial swaps have become essential instruments in modern financial markets, helping institutions manage risk, optimise funding and adapt to changing market conditions. As their use continues to expand across treasury, capital markets and corporate finance, professionals need a solid understanding of their purpose, mechanics and market applications.

This training provides the essential foundations to understand financial swaps and their role in today's financial markets.

At the end of this course, you will have a good understanding of swaps and their specific  terminology having acquainted yourself with:

• The main historical facts and financial derivatives that have marked their development, the financial volumes they represent today and the parties involved.
• What they consist of, the elements to be specified when concluding them (currency, maturity type, nature of flows…) in concluding them and what they are used for
• The two existing major families of swaps (foreign exchange swaps and rates swaps), as well as their respective objectives, characteristics and players
• The many possible variants in terms of rates and other types of swaps
• The basic principles governing the working and organisation of the swaps market. To achieve this, you will have analysed in detail:
• • Rates agreement: definition and characteristics of a rate, frequency of payment, bases, reference indices, fixing…
    
  • The component parts of the full specification of a swap: life cycle, general characteristics, data relating to the “legs” of the swap, risks (transaction, settlement, commercial, execution)
• Figured examples illustrating their economic and financial logic as well as the underlying issues
• The constraints of EMIR (European Market Infrastructure Regulation) which imposes new requirements regarding the use of derivatives. (Reduction of risks related to Over The Counter derivatives and transparency)
  

• Basic principles
• Origin of swap transactions
• International development of the market
• Main parties involved
• Various types of swaps:
• • Currency swaps
  • Interest rate swaps
  • Other types of swaps
• Product life cycle
• Contracts and confirmations
• Isda risks

This training is designed for financial services professionals wishing to gain a solid understanding of interest rate swaps (IRS) and other financial swaps.

It is particularly suited to professionals working in Treasury, Capital Markets, Corporate Banking, Private Banking, Investment Advisory, Risk Management, Middle Office, Back Office, Securities Operations, Finance and Compliance, as well as anyone involved in the valuation, processing or supervision of swap transactions.

This training is offered in blended-learning, you will receive access to a preparatory course in e-learning 5 days before the course.

For this training course, an optional exam is available. In case of interest, candidates can choose a date from the list of proposed examination sessions. Registration for the exam must be made at least five days before the chosen exam date. The exam is subject to a registration fee.