Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Effects of financial markets on society to be examined by Leeds Beckett academic
Professor Mark Rhodes will examine the ease and costs of trading, competition between markets and the unexpected secondary effects of market activity during his inaugural lecture.
“We need to better understand how financial markets compete, interact and work to identify the risks but also the benefits that they can bring to society,” said Professor Rhodes, who is Head of the Economics, Analytics and International Business Subject Group at Leeds Business School.
“Financial markets can support important ethical and social aims, however we need to carefully understand the nature of the problem if we are to define effective solutions.
“It is important to examine if the interaction between exchanges results in detrimental outcomes or not. Assuming detriment that is not present risks losing the benefits that financial and other markets can bring.
“The more we leverage our investments the more we leverage the risk and the consequences of our ignorance.
“Derivatives, such as coffee futures, can provide a useful means for firms to hedge risks but we would wish to check that trade in them does not increase risks elsewhere.”
Professor Rhodes has written and taught on financial and industrial economics for 20 years, with a principal research interest in the area of empirical financial economics. His recent work has examined the interdependence of spot and futures markets for coffee and spreads in equity markets.
His inaugural lecture: How Little We Know About What We Design: Financial Markets, Efficiency and Ethics, takes place between 6-7pm on Wednesday, 18 April at the Rose Bowl, Portland Crescent, Leeds, LS1 3HB.
Tickets are free and can be booked by clicking here.