AF4 Investment Planning - July 2018

This three-day course aims to significantly improve delegates' chances of passing their AF4 exam by developing an understanding of the key technical points that are likely to be tested.

It is also suitable for those taking a further examination, J10 - Discretionary Investment Management, as the learning content is very similar to AF4.

Please note that J10 is a multiple choice exam and can be taken on demand so candidates taking AF4 in April might consider taking J10 either before or after AF4 to get a further potential 20 credits.

The programme will consist of three workshops to give delegates more time to build up their knowledge and understanding. The first two days will give delegates a basic foundation to both AF4 and J10 examinations and the third day will focus on how to answer the written questions of AF4. Those delegates planning to take J10 as a standalone subject are welcome to attend the third day, but as J10 is a multiple choice paper, they may also just come to the first two days if they prefer.

Each session takes place at K2 Leisure Centre, Crawley and opens for registration at 9.00am for a 9.30am start and ends at 4.45pm, providing six hours' CPD each day.

The cost of the three day course is £165 for CII/PFS members (£225 for non-members) and the two day course is £110 (£150 for non-members) includes all tuition, tea/coffee on arrival and during formal breaks and a buffet lunch. If you would like to join us for this event, please click on the Book Now button below. (Please note, to benefit from the discounted rate, you will be required to provide your membership number at the time of booking.)

Course Dates and Objectives
The dates of this course are set out below. By the end of each day, delegates will be able to:

Day 1 - Thursday 12 July 2018 - Asset classes and Risk Theory and Management

• identify the characteristics and risks of the main asset classes

• accurately calculate and interpret the main performance measures of a Bond

• accurately calculate and interpret the main performance measures of shares

• accurately calculate and interpret the primary financial data in a company’s balance sheet and accounts

• understand how economic factors can affect the performance of different assets

• understand and analyse an asset’s Standard Deviation and Beta

• calculate accurately the output of the Capital Asset Pricing Model and explain its limitations

• explain the differences between systematic and non-systematic risk

• explain the concept of the Efficient Frontier

• explain how correlation is measured

• understand the principles of Modern Portfolio Theory

Day 2 - Thursday 6 September 2018 - Portfolio Construction and Performance Review

• identify the factors that must be considered in recommending an appropriate portfolio for a client’s needs

• understand the characteristics of the main investment strategies

• understand the characteristics of “non-main stream” investments such as options, CFDs and Hedge Funds

• accurately calculate the Holding Period Return, Money Weighted Period Return, Time Weighted Period Return and identify when it would be appropriate to use each

• understand the concept of Alpha

• accurately calculate and interpret the main risk related returns, Sharp Ratio and Information Ratio

• understand the concept of benchmarking

• analyse the performance of a portfolio and identify the cause of under or over performance

Day 3 - Thursday 27 September 2018 - Consolidation and Revision

• understand any remaining elements of the syllabus that were not covered in the previous two sessions

• have identified any areas of potential weakness in their knowledge and had the opportunity to revise these

• understand what examiners will be looking for to award high marks in candidates’ answers for the written AF4 examination

Other information

There is ample free on-site parking at the venue.

Please note that these events will take place on the 1st floor at K2. A lift will normally be available for delegates to access the training, but stairs will need to be used in the event of an emergency evacuation of the building.

Full joining instructions will be sent to delegates ahead of the first session.

About our speaker
John has 40 years’ experience in insurance and financial services. Not surprisingly most of his former employers no longer exist because of mergers and takeovers. For example he joined Leeds Permanent Building Society in 1986 and at retirement was working for Lloyds Banking group even though he’d never changed employers! The last 15 years were spent in the training department specialising in professional exams.

Not wishing to spend retirement watching daytime TV he decided to become a freelance trainer specialising in helping people to pass the CII’s Financial Services exams.

John is a Chartered Insurance Practitioner and a Fellow of both the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Personal Finance Society.