CFA Institute Blogs
A regulatory compliance program that is not centered on ethics and a strong ethical culture risks not being adequate or effective, according to Carlo V. di Florio, director of the U.S. SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE). In a speech … Read more
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The trading of options is quite mysterious to many investors. Some view the use of options as nothing more than gambling. One may place small bets with the potential for very large gains. Unfortunately, just like bets at a casino, the options trader who bets on a large move in the price of an asset is rarely the winner because most such bets expire worthless. As Kerry W. Given (a.k.a. Dr. Duke), founder of Parkwood Capital, points out in No-Hype Options Trading: Myths, Realities, and Strategies That Really Work, “The casino establishes a game where the casino holds a statistical edge. . . . Your model for trading options should be the casino owner, not the player at the tables.” His goal is to teach investors how to profit from the use of options while intelligently managing the risks involved. Read more
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As the recent K-REIT acquisition of 87.5 percent of Ocean Financial Centre from K-REIT parent company Keppel Land — and whether the deal was fair to minority shareholders — continues to hog the limelight, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) … Read more
Leave a CommentCarl R. Bacon, CIPM, a performance measurement specialist, discusses the evolution of performance attribution, the latest developments in performance measurement, and the issue of ex post risk. Read more
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As if the stalemate in the Super Committee weren’t enough to worry U.S. investors, speakers at the recent Investing Conference held at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business (co-sponsored by CFA Institute) were abundantly clear that this is … Read more
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A few weeks ago, Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel prize-winning psychologist and pioneer of behavioral economics, wrote a fascinating article in The New York Times Magazine that examines the illusion of skill as it pertains to the stock-picking prowess of financial advisers. … Read more
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Although not a pioneering work, Wealth Building Strategies in Energy, Metals, and Other Markets details easily accessible and timely methods for navigating upcoming investment markets that are sure to be stormy. Author Chris Waltzek, host of a weekly broadcast on GoldSeek.com, focuses on a few economically sensitive sectors — namely, energy, metals, and real estate. The book consists of three sections: “Successful Investing,” “The Housing Bubble,” and “Banking—Super Profits.” Read more
Leave a CommentIndustry expert Marianne M. Jennings discusses the ethical issues present in the financial crisis including the seven signs of ethical collapse, cross-cultural differences in ethics, and what universities can do to promote ethical behavior. Read more
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When Warren Buffett recently disclosed a 5.4% position in International Business Machines (IBM), it took almost everyone by surprise. How did the Oracle of Omaha manage to build a $10.7 billion position in the technology bellwether over the course of … Read more
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The U.S. deficit stalemate is a pathetic display — so say a broad range of investment professionals in a recent CFA Institute survey on the Super Committee bust. The bi-partisan committee was charged with determining $1.2 trillion in budget cuts to begin … Read more
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