Some links about finance and virtual worlds, MMORPGs and the digital games industry in general:
simExchange: simExchange is a simulation of the stock market, for the games industry. You predict sales of games. They actually market it is a pedagogical game, in the sense that you learn about the games industry while playing. Interesting, maybe good for a class activity.
IGE: At IGE you can buy, sell, trade and donate your inworld currencies between 16 different MMORPGs
Anshe Chung Studios is preparing to launch a virtual financial market, financial products and a set of services that are going to, for the first time, allow direct capital flow and investment across virtual world boundaries. This step will be the first of many in the creation of an open, cross platform Metaverse economy that transcends individual virtual worlds.