Record Number of Investment Professionals To Take CFA Exams This Weekend

Nearly 150,000 Candidates Take Next Steps to Earn CFA Charter

NEW YORK, May 31, 2012 /CNW/ - - CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence, announced that 149,954 candidates from 169 countries have registered for this weekend's Level I, II and III CFA exams, to be administered on June 2 and 3. The exam weekend follows an important week for CFA Institute, as the organization celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the CFA Program by opening/closing 26 stock exchanges worldwide. For 50 years, the CFA charter has been the gold standard for investment practice, offering the best and most respected professional training in ethics, education and excellence.

More investment professionals than ever aim to earn the CFA charter, a commitment to uphold the industry's highest standards of investment practice and to serve investors and the global economy. The number of program candidates this fiscal year (December 2011 and June 2012) rose by five percent over last fiscal year, with a total of 219,642 exam registrations. For this exam cycle, registration was up three percent from last June. Regionally, Asia Pacific continues to be the largest source of candidates, with 63,839 registered for the June 2012 exam, accounting for 43 percent of the total. The Americas saw the registration of 53,106 candidates, 35 percent of the total, and 32,796 candidates registered in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), accounting for 22 percent of the total.

"CFA Institute recently kicked off its year-long celebration of 50 years of the CFA Program, and we have called on our members to take personal responsibility to restore investor trust and reconnect with the public interest," said John Rogers, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute. "CFA exam candidates, through their commitment to the CFA Program, are already taking actions outlined in CFA Institute's Integrity List, a collection of steps that investment professionals can take to restore trust in the industry. The effects of the global financial crisis have lasted far longer than anyone anticipated, and investors' trust in financial markets remains at low levels. The ever increasing number of candidates who are dedicating themselves to the CFA Program are committed to shaping an investment industry that is a force for greater good by placing their clients' interests first through high standards of professional ethics, and education. Candidates this weekend should feel confident in the difference they can make to the industry."

The CFA Program is a self-study program, considered to be the most rigorous credentialing program in the investment industry. The CFA curriculum is grounded in the practice of the investment profession and is methodically updated with knowledge, skills, and abilities (competencies) that are relevant to the profession.

The CFA Program comprises a three-level exam process covering topics including Ethical and Professional Standards, Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Corporate Finance, Investment Tools, Asset Classes, and Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning. Each level imparts a particular skill set: Level I is focused on investment tools and the foundations of the business, giving candidates the necessary knowledge and comprehension; Level II is focused on asset classes including equity investments, fixed income, derivatives, and alternative investments, emphasizing candidates' ability in application and analysis; and Level III is focused on portfolio management and wealth planning, requiring candidates to be competent in synthesis and evaluation while making investment decisions. Find out more about the CFA Program and how it can help investment professionals to achieve professional excellence for an impactful career.

About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 110,000 members in 139 countries and territories, including 100,000 charterholders, and 136 member societies. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org.

Sarah-Jane Purvis
CFA Institute, New York
[phone]
sar[email protected]