Sophie Macon 
When evaluating the benefits of the CFA charter, we quite often come to the discussion on whether CFA is a good return on investment. Whilst the return part of the equation is subjective and trickier to estimate (as the potential gains depends on various factors unique to you), the monetary cost is more predictable with a …
Note: this cheat sheet is updated for the latest 2024 and 2025’s curriculum. Regardless whether you’ve a background in finance or economics, Economics is a central topic across all 3 levels of the CFA exams that requires some focus to master, especially the exchange rate section! Building a strong foundation in CFA Level 1 Economics …
ESG investing is one of the big asset management trends, driven by the increasing financial relevance of ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors, better ESG data, growing investor demand and regulatory pressure. This is creating a strong demand not just for portfolio managers – but finance professionals in general – with practical ESG expertise to …
Previously known as Claritas, the Investment Foundations Program by CFA Institute was paused in December 2021 for a product refresh. Since then, a new, enhanced version of the Investment Foundations Certificate was launched globally. With the same educational objective as before, it now has an enhanced, self-paced online experience, requiring only 60-90 hours of study …
When preparing for my CFA exams years ago, I often wondered if there are brain foods for studying that improved my concentration. This resulted in some experiments and changes in my food intake. And my, what a difference it makes – it’s as if the heavy cloud clogging my brain lifted instantly! My concentration improved …
Considering the CAIA designation? It’s a pretty good choice if you plan to build a career in growing alternative investments sector. In response to the pandemic, CAIA has expanded its in-person computer-based testing (CBT) exams to accommodate online proctoring (OP) as well, so you can now take the CAIA exams remotely too. Whether you are …
Note: this cheat sheet is updated for the latest 2025’s curriculum. It is probably no surprise that portfolio management is the most popular career current CFA candidates are interested in exploring further. Portfolio management is the heart of the CFA program – and they start you light and gentle in Level 1 with a broad …
Note: this cheat sheet is updated for the latest 2025’s curriculum. If mastered, Ethics can be the ace up your sleeve throughout your CFA exam journey, given its relative high topic-weight yet similar content across all 3 levels. That said, Ethics can be really dry to read through at times… we know, as we have …
The demand for alternative investments is expected to rise. According to Blackrock, their institutional clients currently allocate an average of 25% of their portfolios towards alternatives, which is expected to rise to between 30-40%, whereas ordinary investors will increase their alternatives allocation from 3% to 25%. The demand for alternative investment managers is likely to continue …
