Three courses. One coherent map of the Hong Kong market.
Each programme is a complete unit of learning — structured, specific, and designed for adults who want to understand rather than speculate.
HomeHow we approach financial education
Pearl Sextant courses begin from structure. Before a participant can think clearly about a company, they need to understand the market in which it trades — how it is regulated, how it is indexed, and what the categories of listing mean in practice.
From that structural foundation, the programmes move to analysis — how to read a financial statement, how to understand a dividend policy, how to situate a company within the wider Hong Kong economic context. Case studies are drawn from historical company histories rather than current situations, which allows the material to be examined without the noise of immediate market sentiment.
The final stage is synthesis — the Portfolio Construction Workshop, where participants bring together everything from the earlier programmes and build a personal, written framework for thinking about a Hong Kong-focused long-term portfolio.
Shared standards across all three courses
- All content specific to the Hong Kong market and regulatory environment
- Materials reviewed and updated before each cohort
- No stock recommendations or advisory content at any point
- Cohorts capped at fourteen, maintained without exception
- Group conversation as a structured part of each course's final session
- Pace calibrated for working adults — no assumed preparation time beyond the course itself
Hang Seng Basics
A four-week introduction to the Hong Kong stock market for learners in their 40s and 50s who want to understand how the local equity market is structured. The course covers the composition of the Hang Seng Index, the difference between H-shares and red chips, how listings work on the main board and GEM, and how to read a company annual report. The material avoids stock picking and focuses on literacy: the ability to read market information and understand what you are looking at.
What participants cover:
- How the Hang Seng Index is composed and maintained
- H-shares, red chips, and the distinctions between them
- Main Board vs GEM: listing criteria and what they mean
- How to read a Hong Kong company annual report
- The SFC's role and what regulation means for investors
- Common reporting conventions in HK-listed company disclosures
Session structure:
HK Equities for the Long View
A six-week programme for those who want to think about individual Hong Kong-listed companies as long-term holdings rather than trading instruments. Topics include how to read financial statements, dividend policies common in Hong Kong, sector concentration in the local market, and the relationship between HK equities and mainland economic cycles. Participants work through case studies drawn from historical company histories without advancing any present-day recommendations.
What participants cover:
- Reading income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements
- Dividend culture in the Hong Kong market — yield conventions and payout patterns
- Sector concentration — why HK equities skew toward certain industries
- The China economic relationship — how mainland cycles affect HK-listed companies
- Historical case studies: reading past company trajectories without present-day bias
- Long-holding frameworks — how professionals think about multi-year positions
Session structure:
Portfolio Construction Workshop
A ten-week workshop for mature learners ready to think about building a Hong Kong-focused or Hong Kong-inclusive long-term portfolio. The programme walks through allocation principles, position sizing, the role of international diversification alongside local holdings, currency considerations, and the discipline of holding through market cycles. Each participant builds a written allocation document, receives written feedback, and joins a final group conversation to review what they learned.
What participants cover:
- Allocation principles — how to think about dividing capital across holdings
- Position sizing — practical frameworks for deciding how much of any single position
- International diversification alongside HK-local holdings
- Currency risk — HKD peg mechanics and what they mean for local vs offshore holdings
- The discipline of holding — how to maintain a position through market cycles
- Written allocation document — developed over weeks 4–9 with instructor feedback
What makes this different:
Each participant produces a written allocation document — not a template completed in class, but a considered personal framework developed iteratively across the course. Written instructor feedback is provided on each version. The final session is a group conversation where participants share what they learned from the process.
Choosing the right course
All three courses can be taken independently. This table helps clarify which is the right entry point for different starting positions.
| Feature / Aspect | Hang Seng Basics | HK Equities Long View | Portfolio Workshop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 4 weeks | 6 weeks | 10 weeks |
| Prior knowledge required | None | Helpful but not required | Courses 1 or 2 recommended |
| Market structure literacy | Core focus | Applied | Assumed |
| Financial statement reading | Intro only | Core focus | Applied |
| Portfolio allocation framework | Concepts introduced | Core focus | |
| Individual written feedback | Included | ||
| Written deliverable (allocation plan) | Included | ||
| Fee | HKD 1,620 | HKD 2,480 | HKD 3,120 |
Best for:
Hang Seng Basics
Adults who have heard of the Hang Seng Index but couldn't explain how it works — and want to be able to read market news with genuine comprehension.
Best for:
HK Equities Long View
Those who understand market basics and want to develop the ability to read individual company financials and think about HK equities over multi-year horizons.
Best for:
Portfolio Workshop
Adults ready to think concretely about how a Hong Kong-focused long-term portfolio should be structured — and who want to produce a written plan with feedback.
How all courses are delivered
Privacy and discretion
Participant details are used only for course administration. Nothing shared in sessions is attributed externally.
Performance tracking
We gather participant feedback after each cohort and use it to refine materials before the next. Courses improve with each iteration.
Transparent scope
What each course covers — and what it doesn't — is stated clearly before enrolment. There are no surprises and no undisclosed gaps.
Regularly updated content
Market regulations, index compositions, and listing rules change. Materials are reviewed and updated before each cohort enrols.
Education-only boundary
Pearl Sextant is an education provider, not a licensed investment adviser. That distinction is maintained in every session and every piece of written material.
Support between sessions
Participants can send written questions between sessions. Responses are provided by the instructor and shared with the cohort where relevant.
Course fees
Hang Seng Basics
- 4 sessions, materials included
- Digital supplements
- Group review session
- No add-ons or extras
HK Equities Long View
- 6 sessions, materials included
- Historical case studies
- Digital supplements
- Group review session
Portfolio Construction
- 10 sessions, materials included
- Written allocation document
- Individual written feedback
- Final group review
Not sure which course to start with?
We are happy to have a conversation about your starting point and which programme makes most sense for where you are now.
Book a Consultation