It may help to know that the skills you learn while preparing for the CFA exams will be useful later in your financial career. While the CFA material has changed over the years and will continue to be updated after your final exam, your analytical skills will endure. Don’t be afraid to use them to question the status quo.
Read MoreSince the last recession which was crystallized by financial crisis in 2008, the US and global economies have experienced sustained growth. Major market indicators such as S&P 500, NASDAQ, and Dow Jones have gained in excess of 280%, 400%, and 250% respectively. The number of stock market analysts predicting recession is increasing by the day.
Read MoreCould holding too much cash lead to misestimating the firm’s value? Yes, it could.
Read MoreWomen remain significantly underrepresented in the finance community, and there are challenges to advancement. In my opinion, the main challenges include getting in the door at top firms and gaining the respect of our male colleagues. Holding the CFA designation helps provide knowledge and personal conviction from having accomplished such a difficult goal, as well as many other important skills and success criteria.
Read More“Hmm…probably during my CFA Level II studying.” That is my response when my boss asks me how I became familiar with the swaps market.
Read MoreOne of the remarkable trends of the last 10 years has been the growing popularity of exchange traded funds (ETFs) as advisers and the investing public have grown frustrated by their failed efforts to outperform the major market indexes. As returns continue to fall short of expectations and the prospects of subpar annual returns looms on the horizon, fees for actively managed portfolios are receiving greater attention than they would in a higher-return environment.
Read MoreObtaining your CFA charter is a long journey, taking place over a minimum of 18 months—but likely longer for most charterholders. One of the biggest hurdles for candidates is coming up with and sticking to a study plan.
Read MoreAt $26.19/barrel, February 11, 2016, marked the lowest closing price for the front month (spot) contract of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil since May 2003.
Read More2016 was one of the most politically eventful years since I started my career in investment management more than 11 years ago. The impact these events have had on financial markets were as unexpected for the financial industry as the results themselves were for the entire world watching.
Read MoreIn 2007, Warren Buffett offered an open bet to anyone brave enough to challenge him. He put $500,000 on the line...and only one person took him up. The bet? That no “fund of hedge funds” selection could outperform a simple S&P 500 index tracker over a 10-year period.
Read MoreI was privileged recently to be a part of the CFA Society Saudi Arabia’s Investment Research Challenge, which included three teams (including one all-female group) from universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Being a long-standing CFA charterholder with decades of professional and academic experience, I acted as a grader for the written reports.
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