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I just graduated in engineering where I have a very strong background in pure maths, but unfortunately I didnt study any statistics in my course. I know calculus, probability theory, measure theory, analysis etc. But I have not done any courses on regression etc.

I am planning to apply for several "analyst" positions at various banks/investment firms in the coming months.

Amongst some of them, they specifically require the applicants to have a good knowledge in statistics.

What statistical techniques/concepts do I need and should I learn (self study), that an financial analyst would require? Basically I will be analysing and computing statistical and financial data, what techniques should I learn? Should I start with regression, time series etc.?

As taken from wikipedia, this is something I would probably be doing:

Financial analysts use spreadsheet and statistical software packages to analyze financial data, spot trends, and develop forecasts. On the basis of their results, they write reports and make presentations, usually making recommendations to buy or sell a particular investment or security. Senior analysts may actually make the decision to buy or sell for the company or client if they are the ones responsible for managing the assets. Other analysts use the data to measure the financial risks associated with making a particular investment decision.

So what statistical concepts/tools/techniques/methods do I need to study, in order to do the above (in the quotes)?

I just got the book George Snedecor: Statistical Methods, but what main concepts/techniques are most important/most used by analysts? I'd like to quickly start into those topics first.

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"Analyst" is about as broad of a job description there is. Finance is a very niche industry and common valuation practices vary widely. As for the more widely applicable material, it will help you greatly to understand time series, future/present value, and parity theory. And that isn't even scraping the surface of the economics, accounting, and asset classes you have to know. Exactly what kind of "analyst" are you hoping to be? Furthermore, in banking it's all who you know, so you'd be better off networking than grabbing a book and praying it's relevant to the position. – jeff m Aug 22 '12 at 16:31
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An "analyst" position at an investment bank has nothing to do with quantitative finance. How can you tell if it's a quant role and not just a regular I-banking analyst job? They won't talk to someone with just a bachelors degree, and they definitely won't admit to using spreadsheets. – chrisaycock♦ Aug 23 '12 at 2:14

closed as off topic by Joshua Ulrich, chrisaycock♦ Aug 23 '12 at 2:10

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1 Answer

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Solid and quick understanding of simple probability questions & Bayes theorem, some general knowledge of Value-At-Risk, monte carlo, optimisation tools & regression analysis.

To be honest statistics knowledge doesn't hurt but it doesn't really win you anything.

NPV calculations, discounting, spot & forward rates, swaps, credit derivatives, risk neutral options pricing, put call parity. This kind of stuff is just as useful. If you havn't already, read John C Hull.

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