Study Notes for CFA® Level II – Alternative Investments – offered by AnalystPrep

Study Notes for CFA® Level II – Alternative Investments – offered by AnalystPrep

Reading 35: Introduction to Commodities and Commodity Derivatives

-a. Compare characteristics of commodity sectors;

-b. Compare the life cycle of commodity sectors from production through trading or consumption;

-c. Contrast the valuation of commodities with the valuation of equities and bonds;

-d. Describe types of participants in commodity futures markets;

-e. Analyze the relationship between spot prices and futures prices in markets in contango and markets in backwardation;

-f. Compare theories of commodity futures returns;

-g. Describe, calculate, and interpret the components of total return for a fully collateralized commodity futures contract;

-h. Contrast roll return in markets in contango and markets in backwardation;

-i. Describe how commodity swaps are used to obtain or modify exposure to commodities;

-j. Describe how the construction of commodity indexes affects index returns;

Reading 36: Overview of Types of Real Estate Investment

-a. Compare the characteristics, classifications, principal risks, and basic forms of public and private real estate investments;

-b. Explain  portfolio roles and economic value determinants of real estate investments;

-c. Discuss commercial property types, including their distinctive investment characteristics;

-d. Explain the due diligence process for both private and public equity real estate investments;

-e. Discuss real estate investment indexes, including their construction and potential biases;

Reading 37: Investments in Real Estate Through Publicly Traded Securities

-a. Discuss types of publicly traded real estate securities;

-b. Justify the use of net asset value per share (NAVPS) in valuation of publicly traded real estate securities and estimate NAVPS based on forecasted cash net operating income;

-c. Describe the use of funds from operations (FFO) and adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) in REIT valuation;

-d. Calculate and interpret the value of a REIT share using the net asset value, relative value (price-to-FFO and price-to-AFFO), and discounted cash flow approaches; 

-e. Explain advantages and disadvantages of investing in real estate through publicly traded securities compared to private vehicles;

Reading 38: Hedge Fund Strategies

-a: Discuss how hedge fund strategies may be classified;

-b: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of equity-related hedge fund strategies;

-c: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of event-driven hedge fund strategies;

-d: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of relative value hedge fund strategies;

-e: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of opportunistic hedge fund strategies;

-f: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of specialist hedge fund strategies;

-g: Discuss investment characteristics, strategy implementation, and role in a portfolio of multi-manager hedge fund strategies;

-h: Describe how factor models may be used to understand hedge fund risk exposures;

-i: Evaluate the impact of an allocation to a hedge fund strategy in a traditional investment portfolio;

Shop CFA® Exam Prep

Offered by AnalystPrep

Featured Shop FRM® Exam Prep Learn with Us

    Subscribe to our newsletter and keep up with the latest and greatest tips for success
    Shop Actuarial Exams Prep Shop Graduate Admission Exam Prep


    Daniel Glyn
    Daniel Glyn
    2021-03-24
    I have finished my FRM1 thanks to AnalystPrep. And now using AnalystPrep for my FRM2 preparation. Professor Forjan is brilliant. He gives such good explanations and analogies. And more than anything makes learning fun. A big thank you to Analystprep and Professor Forjan. 5 stars all the way!
    michael walshe
    michael walshe
    2021-03-18
    Professor James' videos are excellent for understanding the underlying theories behind financial engineering / financial analysis. The AnalystPrep videos were better than any of the others that I searched through on YouTube for providing a clear explanation of some concepts, such as Portfolio theory, CAPM, and Arbitrage Pricing theory. Watching these cleared up many of the unclarities I had in my head. Highly recommended.
    Nyka Smith
    Nyka Smith
    2021-02-18
    Every concept is very well explained by Nilay Arun. kudos to you man!
    Badr Moubile
    Badr Moubile
    2021-02-13
    Very helpfull!
    Agustin Olcese
    Agustin Olcese
    2021-01-27
    Excellent explantions, very clear!
    Jaak Jay
    Jaak Jay
    2021-01-14
    Awesome content, kudos to Prof.James Frojan
    sindhushree reddy
    sindhushree reddy
    2021-01-07
    Crisp and short ppt of Frm chapters and great explanation with examples.