Corporate Bonds Simulation

In the simulation, participants will:

• Analyze a company’s financials and market position to determine optimal debt structure

• Price a new bond issue, setting coupon, maturity, and covenants

• Trade bonds in secondary markets, responding to interest‑rate moves and credit events

• Manage a bond portfolio, balancing yield, duration, and credit risk

• Negotiate terms with underwriters, investors, or issuers

• Respond to shocks such as rating downgrades or liquidity freezes

• Present bond‑issuance proposals or investment recommendations to stakeholders

• Reflect on how their decisions impacted funding costs, returns, and risk exposure

• Understand the corporate‑bond issuance process and key market participants

• Apply bond‑pricing and yield‑curve analysis in live scenarios

• Evaluate credit risk and interpret rating‑agency reports

• Structure bond covenants to balance issuer flexibility with investor protection

• Manage interest‑rate and liquidity risk in a bond portfolio

• Negotiate terms effectively from either issuer or investor perspective

• Communicate bond‑investment theses or issuance rationales clearly

• Recognize how regulatory and macroeconomic factors affect bond markets

• Build confidence in making high‑stakes debt‑market decisions

1. Receive a Scenario Participants are briefed on their role (issuer or investor), market environment, and objectives.

** 2. Analyze the Situation** They review financial statements, yield‑curve data, credit reports, and competitor activity.

3. Make Strategic Decisions Participants structure bond terms, set pricing, execute trades, or adjust portfolio holdings.

4. Collaborate and Negotiate Teams engage with other players (issuers pitch to investors, investors bid in auctions).

5. Communicate Outcomes Participants deliver investor updates, issuance memos, or portfolio‑review presentations.

6. Review and Reflect The simulation provides instant feedback on funding costs, returns, risk metrics, and market share. Strategies evolve across rounds based on outcomes.

• Who is this corporate bonds simulation designed for? It is ideal for students, finance professionals, and anyone interested in debt capital markets, corporate treasury, fixed‑income investing, or investment banking.

• Do I need prior bond‑market experience? No prior experience is required. The simulation includes instructional videos, case studies, and pop‑up guidance suitable for all levels.

• How long does the simulation run? Typically 3–5 hours, but it can be split into shorter modules or extended to cover advanced topics.

• Is the simulation individual or team‑based? It supports both formats. Teams often mirror real‑world roles (e.g., issuer treasury team vs. investor portfolio managers).

• What bond types are covered? The simulation includes investment‑grade, high‑yield, callable, puttable, and ESG‑linked bonds, among others.

• Are real‑world data sets used? Yes. Participants work with simulated market data grounded in historical and real‑time financial scenarios.

• Can instructors customize the simulation? Absolutely. Focus areas, such as credit analysis, pricing, covenants, or ESG factors—can be tailored to program needs.

• How is performance measured? Performance is assessed based on funding costs (issuers), risk‑adjusted returns (investors), negotiation outcomes, and communication clarity.

• Bond‑pricing accuracy and funding‑cost efficiency

• Credit‑analysis rigor and risk‑management effectiveness

• Negotiation results

• Portfolio performance metrics (yield, duration, Sharpe ratio)

• Clarity and persuasiveness of investor or issuer communications

• Collaboration and adaptability in dynamic market conditions