This eCourse consists of three modules. Module provides a high-level overview of business cycles and highlights the impact they may have on governments, households, companies, and financial markets.

Module 2 provides a high-level overview of the role of leading, coincident, and lagging economic indicators in predicting the business cycle.

Module 3 provides a high-level overview of the balance of payments account and the role of trade in the global economy.

On completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Define the business cycle and list its phases
- Define recessions and recognize their potential causes
- List the policies governments may pursue during recessions
- Determine the impact of the business cycle on financial markets, including equities, fixed-income, currencies and commodities
- Identify the impact of the business cycle on financial markets
- Determine the role of economic indicators in predicting business cycles
- Define leading indicators and recognize their role in predicting business cycles
- Define coincident indicators and recognize their role in predicting business cycles
- Define lagging indicators and recognize their role in predicting business cycles
- Define the balance of payments and how it measures the global flow of goods, services and capital
- Identify the components of the balance of payments account
- Define trade imbalances and their role in balance of payments crises
- List key international trade indicators

Module 1: Business Cycles – An Introduction
Topic 1: Overview of Business Cycles
Topic 2: Recessions
Topic 3: Business Cycles & Markets
Topic 4: Case Study: The Great Recession

Module 2: Business Cycle Indicators
Topic 1: Predicting Business Cycles
Topic 2: Leading Indicators
Topic 3: Coincident Indicators
Topic 4: Lagging Indicators

Module 3: Trade Indicators
Topic 1: Balance of Payments Fundamentals
Topic 2: Balancing Act
Topic 3: Trade Indicators