The 'Delivery versus Payment' system means that:
the trade date will be the same as the settlement date
the stock will be exchanged simultaneously with the cash
the transfer of ownership will take place on the trade date
the cash will be paid as soon as receipt of the stock is confirmed International Certificate in Wealth & Investment Management
Which of the following gives the right, but not the obligation, to sell individual equity at a specified date for a given price?
Future
Forward contract
Put option
Call option
Which of the following types of investment incurs a liability for capital gains tax once sold?
Classic car
Government bonds
Units in unit trusts
Primary residence
A company's Market Value Added equates to the market assessment of the present value of the company's future:
dividend distributions
economic value added
capital costs
gross profits
If a client wanted to make additional contributions to an occupational pension scheme, which of the following options would give him the greatest choice of provider and a say in how the funds are invested?
Non-contributory occupational scheme
Contributory occupational scheme
Freestanding Additional Voluntary Contributions
Additional Voluntary Contributions
Portfolio performance is:
rarely measured in absolute terms, mostly measured in relative terms
rarely measured in relative terms, mostly measured in absolute terms
only ever measured in relative terms
only ever measured in absolute terms
A client arranged for a wealth management firm to look after his investments on a non discretionary basis. This means that the firm:
receives commission on the investment instead of fees
leaves the investment decisions to the client
subcontracts custodianship of the investment assets to a third party
bears some financial responsibility for any investment losses
Which of the following Fitch ratings denotes the LOWEST level of risk for a bond?
D
BBB
C
AAA
Which of the following implications will help to ensure financial advisers act in their clients' best interest?
Firms that give investment advice must address the potential for adviser remuneration to distort consumer outcomes
Investment firms will need to switch clients into products that have no trailing commissions
Firms that give investment advice must charge fees within a guidance range set by the FCA
Investment firms will need to change their price lists to remove all percentage based fees
If the real annual returns of a UK equity investment are normally distributed around the mean return of 8% with a standard deviation of 4.5% approximately two-thirds of the returns recorded will be within what range?
-5.5% and 21.5%
-1% and 17%
3.5% and 12.5%
5.75% and 10.25%
Which of the following is likely to be the MOST important consideration when selecting the most appropriate protection product for a client?
The level of the premium and charges
The financial strength of the provider
The quality of the service provided
Investment choice and performance
Which of the following is a limitation rather than an assumption of the Capital Asset Pricing Model?
Investors are rational and risk averse
Investors hold a well-diversified portfolio
Investors make investment decisions based on mean variance analysis
Investors are rewarded for more than just their exposure to systemic risk
One of the core functions of the financial services sector is to facilitate the bringing together of:
tax revenues and investment opportunities
short-term wealth and long-term wealth
liquidity and volatility
borrowers and investors
Which of the following statements is TRUE about preference shares?
The most common type is the deferred share
They offer a lower dividend rate than the comparative coupon rate on a debenture
Dividends are guaranteed each year
In most cases they do not carry voting rights International Certificate in Wealth & Investment Management
What are the possible implications for investment performance of investing in an ethical fund?
The fund may be more volatile because of the increased exposure to smaller company holdings
Ethical funds invest primarily in large companies producing lower total returns
There are no suitable benchmarks for the client to measure performance against
Total returns are likely to be higher due to the increased level of diversification in ethical funds
When considering the money supply, money is accurately described as anything that is generally:
convertible to sterling currency
acceptable as a means of settling a debt
sustainable in value over a defined period
tradable and held outside of a bank or building society deposit
What type of information is contained in a Key Features Document?
A clear description of the financial product being recommended to the client
Cancellation rights if a client changes their mind about investing in a product
All product recommendations listed in the financial plan and the reasoning behind them
Taxation implications for all the products listed in the financial plan
An investor allowed the principle of 'regret aversion' to influence his actions. This resulted in him:
declining to buy a stock based purely on a previous bad experience
B buying a badly performing stock from a friend as recompense for recommending it in the first place
holding a poorly performing stock for an irrationally long period
only selling stock once a specified loss threshold had been reached
Firms that specialise in looking after the assets of pension funds and fund managers are normally known as:
trustees
registrars
underwriters
custodians
Global Depositary Receipts traded on the London Stock Exchange are settled in which currency?
Euros
US Dollars
Japanese Yen
UK Sterling
Jackie is a private client investor and you ascertain that her investment objective and risk tolerance are capital growth and cautious. During the meeting she asks you for your thoughts on the use of derivatives. You respond that, in your opinion, derivatives:
are normally appropriate only where there is a high risk tolerance
only generate an income stream and so are not compatible with her objective
can generate capital growth and are suitable where there is a low risk tolerance
can be traded only on an execution only basis as firms cannot offer any advice or opinion
Which of the following is a fiscal policy used to stimulate the economy?
Raising interest rates
Cutting interest rates
Raising personal taxes
Cutting personal taxes
Where the proposer and the life assured are different people under a life policy, the policy:
provides cover on a joint life basis
was taken out on someone else's life
owner holds power of attorney status
was arranged by a financial adviser acting independently
Why is a time weighted return (TWR) preferred to a money weighted return (MWR) when evaluating performance?
TWR only requires portfolio values at the start and end of the investment period along with dates and size of each cash flow
TWR eliminates the timing effect of cash flows into and out of the fund
TWR measures the fund growth resulting from both the underlying performance of the portfolio and the size and timing of cash flows into and out of the fund
TWR calculates the risk adjusted return per unit of risk
Where a trade operates on a T+2 basis, this normally means that:
the cash is paid two calendar days after the stock is delivered
the cash is paid two business days after the stock is delivered
settlement takes place two calendar days after the trade date
settlement takes place two business days after the trade date
Which MAIN class of financial asset is normally considered to be the LEAST liquid?
Equities
Corporate bonds
Property
Which of the following rules applying to financial intermediaries is directly underpinned by the principle of fiduciary responsibility?
Commission disclosure
Money laundering
Professional indemnity
Best execution
Two sets of data are positively correlated. If one set of data rises in value, what will happen to the other set?
Rises
Falls
No change
Rises to begin with then falls
What is the MAIN purpose of a power of attorney document?
It appoints someone to distribute the assets of a deceased person
It enables ownership of property to transfer from one person to another person
It allows one person to conduct specific transactions on behalf of another person
It entitles one trustee to override the demands of another trustee
Four bond portfolios each hold a variety of stock. Which one of them is BEST described as operating a barbell strategy?
Portfolio A, which consists solely of bills maturing in one year plus bonds maturing in 25 and 30 years
Portfolio B, which consists solely of bills maturing in six months plus bonds maturing in 5, 10, 15 and 20 years
Portfolio C, which consists solely of bonds maturing in 1, 3 and 5 years
Portfolio D, which consists solely of bonds maturing in 20, 25 and 30 years
Which of the following is a characteristic of a quote driven market?
Orders from buyers and sellers are automatically matched and executed
Market makers prioritise orders according to transaction size
Trading hours are longer than for order driven markets
Market makers are obliged to provide two way prices
Which measurement in relation to a fixed interest investment is given by the following formula?
Grossed up redemption yield
Gross redemption yield
Net redemption yield
Running yield
Corporation tax is a factor when considering investment as it can:
block investment opportunities
differ between countries
be deferred indefinitely
be subject to a different accounting period
What differentiates Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP)?
A Indirect taxes, depreciation and net exports
Indirect taxes and depreciation
Depreciation and property income
Net property income
Which of the following would MOST likely be found in a formal written report presenting recommendations to a client?
Details of family and dependants
The tax implications on the client's position
Details of the client's occupation, earnings and other income sources
A summary of the client's assets and liabilities
Why do portfolios need a regular annual or periodic review?
To ensure that all assets are priced on a regular basis
To ensure that all assets are reconciled against the market
To ensure that all cash balances are reconciled against the actual bank
To ensure the portfolio still meets the client's objectives and is positioned correctly given the market conditions
A characteristic of the foreign exchange market is that:
it has no centralised market place
B it is highly illiquid
it is unregulated
D spot market transactions settle on a T + 3 basis
The running yield of a corporate bond is determined by calculating the coupon as a percentage of the:
market price
issue price
gross dividend
nominal value
When recommending an investment product to a client, what material information MUST the adviser disclose in order to satisfy the fiduciary relationship that exists between the two parties?
Only details which have been specifically requested by the client
Whatever is needed to produce a guaranteed return
Only details which are considered to affect the investment risk
Whatever is needed in order for the client to make an informed decision
A function of the Monetary Policy Committee is to:
attempt to control inflation by setting the base rate
intervene in the financial markets to control money supply
maintain confidence in the UK financial system
promote public understanding of inflation
Where funds are to be set aside to provide for the future financial maintenance of a disabled child, this can normally be achieved through the establishment of a legal document called a:
codicil
trust
grant of representation
power of attorney
The excess return of a portfolio or security above that of the risk adjusted benchmark is known as:
alpha
beta
duration
premium
Which of the following types of organisation is MOST likely to arrange finance for a company wanting to float on the stock market?
Insurance companies
Investment banks
Custodians
Bancassurers
Where the mining costs of a particular metal increase to 105% of that metal's current price, this indicates that:
demand is significantly rising
supply has become unreliable
there is likely to be a shortage of raw materials
production activities are likely to stop
An independent financial adviser would make recommendations on which type of product?
The firm's own products
Products of one other provider
Products from across the market place
A range of products from a limited number of providers
The demand curve for a particular product will be horizontal where the supplying firm operates in:
a perfect competitive market
a monopolistic market
a sector generating excessive profits
a sector generating minimal profits
What lump sum must someone aged 35 invest today given an assumed annual growth rate of 7% if they are to accrue a lump sum of £450,000 at the age of 65?
£14,018
£59,115
£64,285
£420,560
An investment manager believes that markets are inefficient and that he can obtain abnormal returns after transaction charges. Which investment style is he most likely to adopt?
Passive
Indexation
Active
Satellite
What inter-governmental body develops and promotes national and international policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing?
Financial Stability Board
World Trade Organisation
Financial Action Task Force
International Monetary Fund
A call option is an option that generally confers
the right to buy
the right to sell
a contract to sell
a contract to buy
A consumer purchases a designated investment and the firm provides the consumer with detailed cancellation rights over the telephone, immediately after the purchase. How has the firm contravened the rules?
Designated investments require notice of cancellation rights to be signed by the customer
Cancellation rights must be given in writing
Consumers must be informed of cancellation rights before a purchase is confirmed in all cases
Consumers must receive cancellation rights in writing before identification checks are undertaken
The annual return of a portfolio in each of the last six years has been 8.2%, 3.6%, 5.1%, 2.1%, 9.4% and 4.7%. What is the arithmetic mean return?
4.2%
4.9%
5.5%
5.8%
Who controls the assets of a trust and looks after the property for the person or persons who will ultimately benefit from it?
Benefactors
Beneficiaries
Creditors
Trustees
An individual has been advised to invest in some shares by a friend. He wants to make sure that he invests in companies which do not have a volatile share price. To achieve this he should select shares which have a beta factor of:
1
1.25
1.5
1.75
One of the key objectives of financial services regulation is to:
encourage market competition
reduce financial crime
ensure products and services represent value for money
liaise with financial services regulators from other countries
Exchange-traded funds normally operate by:
tracking indices
tracking an individual security
investing in fund of funds
investing in manager of managers funds
Which is the MOST important reason for an adviser to conduct regular reviews of a client's circumstances and arrangements?
To help the client complete any tax documentation
To ensure that the adviser complies with any regulatory requirements
To ensure that any products continue to meet a client's needs
To ensure that the adviser retains any repeat business from the client
A company's p/e ratio recently changed from 12 to 15. This normally indicates that:
the share value has fallen
growth expectations have improved
dividend levels have become less stable
the relevant market sector is in decline
John is worried that he will be unable to work due to a heart attack. Which of the following would enable him to claim if he had a severe heart attack?
Critical Illness cover
Permanent Health Insurance
Mortgage Protection
Accident, Sickness & Unemployment cover
Which of the following is a feature in Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT)?
APT relies on identified factors being correlated
The variables of APT include real economic factors
The principal component of APT is the return on an index of all shares
APT is equivalent to a single factor Capital Asset Pricing Model
The members of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) collectively regulate how much of the world's securities markets?
70%
80%
90%
100%
Units in a unit trust fund are sold by which of the following?
The trustee
The registrar
The manager
The depositary
Paulo is a non-resident investor. How is he likely to benefit from a double taxation treaty?
By incurring tax at a reduced concessionary rate
By opting for the country with the lowest tax rate
By avoiding the need to register with the tax authorities
By obtaining a refund of withholding tax
Which of the following is MOST LIKELY to be a factor causing market movement?
Sentiment
Supply and demand
Economic and political strategy
Investor psychology
What are two advantages of investing in an offshore trust?
Less complex product and only local taxes apply
Privacy and flexibility for the client
Security and a less complex product
Privacy and only local taxes apply
Based on the principles of Modern Portfolio theory, an equity fund will operate on the 'efficient frontier' if:
the optimum level of systematic risk is obtained
the best level of diversification is achieved
the fund's alpha value is negative
the fund's beta value is one or more
Which of the following investments is covered by insider dealing legislation?
Commodity derivatives
Equity options
Gold
Residential property
What is a key feature of exchange-traded commodities?
They are an open-ended collective investment vehicle
They are available only to high net worth individuals
There is limited exposure to derivative contracts
No additional shares can be created by the fund
When conducting investment business for a private customer, what must a firm do?
Only invest in products that are classified as low risk
Make the customer aware of costs and commissions
Meet face to face with the client
Disclose the underlying investments in the investment products
The Liquidity (Acid Test) ratio measures a company's ability to:
increase its current assets
meet its current liabilities
increase its inventory turnover
pay its non-current liabilities
When giving financial advice on the subject of protection, it is important to quantify a client's assets to:
determine whether the costs can be offset against tax liabilitie
establish what shortfall may arise if an insured event occu
ensure that the underwriters have sufficient information
identify the client's appropriate risk profile
Bond portfolio X exclusively contains relatively long-dated stock whereas Bond portfolio Y operates a laddering strategy. This means that Bond X is likely to:
generate higher yields
present less of a credit risk
be more sensitive to interest rate changes
represent a more diversified approach
In order to determine how 'efficient' the market is, financial service regulators will normally consider the extent to which:
products and services represent a reasonable return on capital employed
relevant information is reflected in the price formation basis
competition is clustered within each product sector
regulation is needed to address existing systemic weaknesses
Where an investment fund established in the UK satisfies the UCITS directive and is sold in another EU country, what is the position regarding local taxes and local marketing laws?
It will not be subject to either
It will be subject to local taxes but not local marketing laws
It will be subject to local marketing laws but not local taxes
It will be subject to both local taxes and local marketing laws
Which of the following would provide the lowest level of risk for risk averse investors with short term horizons?
Long term gilts
Cash deposits
Ordinary shares
Warrants
In a two-stock portfolio which of the following correlations would normally offer the greatest level of diversification?
0.8
0.6
-0.4
-0.7
A client in the UK was granted lasting power of attorney in relation to his elderly mother. Why did this facility fail to provide him with control over her financial affairs after she was deemed to have lost her mental capacity?
She was over retirement age when her poor state of mind was first diagnosed
He was her adopted son
She only granted him health and welfare powers
He was operating a power of attorney for his father at the same time
In which country can shareholders be assured that listed companies will comply with the OECD Principles for Corporate Governance?
France
Germany
UK
USA
The regulations state that Money Laundering Reporting Officers appointed by financial services firms must:
hold the status of employee
hold a recognised law or accountancy qualification
register with the country's central bank
register with the country's data protection agency
The Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities Directives (UCITS) cover investment funds established in which location(s)?
England and Wales only
UK only
UK and France only
All European Union countries
How does asset allocation help meet a client's needs?
It enables clients to invest wholly in one of the MAIN asset classes to maximise returns
It reduces the investor's risk by investing across a range of asset classes, sectors and individual stocks
It provides a benchmark for a client to assess how well his investments have performed
It enables investors to pool their investments with others and reduce the risk of direct investment in shares
In technical analysis, the term, 'primary movement' refers to which of the following?
Short-term share price trend
Long-term share price trend
Short-term dividend policy
Long-term dividend policy
John is taking out a life insurance policy on Mary, his wife, and one for himself. Which of the following statements is TRUE once the policy is in force?
John is the life assured
Mary is the life assured
Mary is the proposer
They are both the life assured
An investor has a requirement for an 8% return and is considering choosing Stock X to satisfy this need. Based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model, if the beta value of this stock is recalibrated from 1.2 to 1.3, this would:
increase the likelihood that the stock would be suitable
decrease the likelihood that the stock would be suitable
automatically trigger an increase in the investor's required rate
automatically trigger a decrease in the investor's required rate
One of the fundamental aims of a traditional hedge fund is to minimise which type of investment-related risk?
Inflation risk
Issuer risk
Market risk
Liquidity risk
Which of the following is a factor that must be considered when constructing a portfolio?
Verification of the client's identity
The client's risk tolerance
The category of investment service required
Performance measurement
The difference between a nominal rate of return and a real rate of return relates solely to the effects of
taxation
charges
inflation
compounding
Using Modern Portfolio Theory to create a two stock portfolio, which of the following is TRUE?
The lower the correlation of stock returns, the greater the portfolio's diversification
The higher the correlation of stock returns, the greater the portfolio's diversification
The higher the correlation of stock returns, the lower the level of total risk associated with any given level of expected return
The lower the correlation of stock returns, the higher the level of total risk associated with any given level of expected return
A private equity fund is MOST likely to use a structure similar to that of which of the following?
Investment Trust
Limited Partnership
OEIC
SICAV
If clients approach a firm knowing exactly which product they wish to purchase, and ask the firm simply to arrange the purchase, this type of transaction is normally described as:
best advice
instruction processing
nominal dealing
execution only
Which of the following is NOT counted as part of the Current Account Balance?
Imported and exported goods
Dividends on UK holdings of overseas assets
Long-term capital flows
Interest on UK holdings of overseas assets
Which of the following does a passive investment manager principally invest in?
An index
Fixed income
Other institutional funds
If a collective investment scheme is unauthorised, this means that it is specifically banned from:
operating a bid/offer spread
holding some of the fund assets in cash
being marketed to the general public
paying out dividends
Which mix of investments is most appropriate for a risk averse investor?
50% commodities and 50% equities
50% cash and 50% gilts
50% foreign exchange and 50% CFD's
50% property and 50% PIBS
If $2,200 is invested for four years with interest at the rate of 6% p.a., compounded half-yearly, what will be the value at the end of this period?
$2,696.55
$2,777.45
$2,786.89
$2,860.77
The relationship between an adviser and a client means that the adviser has a duty to:
ensure suitable compensation is available if the client suffers a loss
check with a third party before providing advice to the client
report any wrong-doings to the authorities
always act in the best interests of the client