Reading 58: Introduction to Alternative Investments The CFA curriculum is always changing and this last reading of Level 1 has been completely overhauled by the Institute and is considered a new reading. There is only this one reading regarding alternative…

Reading 56 – Derivative Markets and Instruments Derivative securities are an asset class where they derive (hence the name) their value from an underlying asset. These underlying assets can be financial assets like equities or bonds or real assets like…

Reading 50 – Fixed-Income Securities: Defining Elements A bond is a debt instrument that entitles the buyer to future cash flows from the issuing entity. Bonds can be issued by a variety of organizations, including companies, governments, and even supranational…

Reading 39 – Portfolio Management: An Overview Portfolio management is about creating a diversified approach to meet one’s investment goals. Diversification involves avoiding too much exposure to a single asset or asset type. Diversifying the risks of a portfolio help…

Reading 44 – Market Organization and Structure Financial markets serve a wide variety of purposes, but there are six main categories of activity. They are used for Saving by individuals and organizations in order to grow their assets over time. Borrowing is also done…

Reading 34 – Corporate Governance and ESG: An Introduction Corporate Governance is the managerial system by which a company is controlled. There are two primary theories that drive corporate governance structures, though they have been converging more closely together in…

There’s no getting around it, financial reporting and analysis is a big part of the CFA level 1 curriculum and there is a lot of material with which you’ll need to become familiar. As one of the largest sections of…

Reading 14 – Topics in Demand and Supply Analysis You will need to be able to calculate and explain the importance of Price Elasticity on the exam. Elasticity measures the sensitivity of one variable to another. If something is highly elastic, it…

Reading 6 – The Time Value of Money The Time Value of Money is an important concept for the level 1 exam. You will need to be comfortable discounting the Present Value and Future Value of cash flows for individual…

Ethical and Professional Standards is a major part of the CFA curriculum at all three levels, so it is very important to learn this material well.  The CFA Institute places a high value on ethics, and even uses scores on…