This chapter introduces the key concepts to be covered in the course on money, banking, and financial markets. It will examine how financial markets and institutions work, the role of money in the economy, and the links between monetary policy, business cycles, and inflation. Specific topics to be addressed include the bond market, stock market, banks and other financial intermediaries, money and its relationship to economic activity and prices, and international finance. The goal is to explain these important aspects of the financial system using basic economic concepts.