CFA Level 2 Passed and Life is Real
好久都没时间写了,既然分数出来了,还是写两句吧。
Pass了,因为两个大头科目FSA和Equity都过了70%(个人认为的通过的主要因素)。还有QM和FI也是70%,有个Alternative竟然不及格,其他都是中间。比预计的好得多得多了。毕竟通过率还是挺高的,达到41%. 看来RP积攒还是很有用的。考完马上到cfaspace上就这前人的回忆写出了大部分的回议题。虽然看大家的讨论发现自己好像错了很多,着实郁闷了一阵,不过,毕竟最后还是pass了。感概良多。
由于学习比较紧张,前面基本没时间看书。直到最后大家在做DCP咨询项目的时候,我才空出来整整3周的时间,全力看书,写笔记,这次又写了100页A4纸,大多数是正反面吧。后来给了Sabrina童鞋,也算个RP积累吧。感谢S童鞋一直的鼓励和支持。
听着Google音乐里面, 自己找的所有Queen的全集,今天正好听到Life is real 这首歌,很振奋,很激动,歌词也写得很好,分享一下(mp3很容易搜,google吧):
Guilt stains on my pillow
Blood on my terraces
Torsos in my closet
Shadows from my past
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, so real
Sleeping is my leisure
Waking up in a minefield
Dream is just a pleasure dome
Love is a roulette wheel
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, oh yeah
Success is my breathing space
I brought it on myself
I will price it
I will cash it
I can take it or leave it
Loneliness is my hiding place
Breastfeeding myself
What more can I say
I have swallowed the bitter pill
I can taste it, I can taste it
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real
Music will be my mistress
Loving like a whore
Lennon is a genius
Living in every pore
Life is real
Life is real
Life is real, so real
Life is cruel
Life is a bitch
Life is real, so real
Life is real
Life is real
Yeah, life is real
还有2个多月就毕业了,一年,不对,两年转眼即逝。中间也基本没停过,经历过低谷,也发现且抓住了很多扑面而来的机会;低谷中,因为有目标,有指引,都顺利的通过了,机会来临时,毫不犹豫,抓了就跑;也曾迷茫,也曾失落,更多的还是不断努力向前。
一周内,将决定下一个方向,目前能做的只是等待,和剩下的一个Pray(另一个已经实现,L2 passed)。
CFAL2 结束
强烈建议,没考CFA的同学,就别报名了。不是人考的。NND
不管怎样,结束了,剩下就看人品了。能不能上贼船,等结果吧。剩下的事还要努力。
CFA L2 倒数一周
又做到Practice Exam 2了,跟一级一样,题目越来越变态。有点做不下去了。
2级还真是麻烦。
最后一周还有别的一大堆事干,只好在复习中间抽空做了。
CFA L2 倒数两周
前两天总算把Notes都看完了, 不过跟去年一样,看完了不代表理解了。做题还是一样迷糊。还是努力边做边总结吧。如有朋友再等看笔记,sorry了,实在没时间同步到blog上来了,还是像去年一样,一大堆A4纸的生活。
2级考case套题了,还好,上下午各只有10个case共60题(120题 in total)时间压力应该会小一些。收费的Mock还没有放出,先把Practice 的2本6套吃掉吧。
闭关状态,把能外包的事情都外包,跟人说的是每天两点睡觉,上三趟大大(这个是为了填补3这个空),吃四顿饭,睡5个小时(其实应该不止,下午累了睡半小时,evenning困了,再睡半小时,再看到1,2点)。
最后两周,加油吧。
CFA L2 笔记 Financial Reporting and Analysis
Intercorporate Investments
4种公司间投资
1. Minority passive, 小于20%, 无显著影响。又可归类3种:
- held-for-maturity
- 记balance sheet 用amortized cost. 像买了个bond;interest income记在income statement, fair value变动不管。
- held-for-trading
- 一般小于三个月,记balance sheet 用fair value; realized 和unrealized的g/s, dividends和interest都记income statement
- available-for-sale
- 记balance sheet 用fair value, unrealized g/s 不记income statement,记在equity. realized g/s, dividends和interest都记income statement
- GAAP下,卖掉以后的unrealized g/s 记在other comprehensive income; realized g/s 要从other comprehensive income 中reverse ,然后记在income statement.
- IFRS下,类似,但fx导致的unrealized g/s放在income statement。GAAP是所有的unrealized放在equity。
2. Minority active, 20%~50%,有显著影响,小于20%也有可能。
- 用Equity method,记cost, 在balance sheet 里面是noncurrent asset.
- investee的earning/loss按比例增加/减少equity,并记在income statement,发dividends按比例减少equity,不记income statement. equity减少到0,就不用equity method.
- 2007.11.15以后,记fair value, 变动记在income statement.
- 超过book value的话,用fair value记,cost – fair value部分记goodwill
- 每年要test impairement: carrying value > fair value ,IFRS可以write-up,GAAP不行
- 关联交易暂不记账,出去了才记。
3. Controlling, 大于50%,控股,小于50%也有可能。
- 用consolidation,记minority interest account=equty 2 × %,或noncontrolling interest (IFRS)
- current asset = ca 1 + ca 2 – cost(收购价);其他部分简单相加;equity 不变。
- Income statement 里面,revenue, expense相加,减去minority interest=net income 2 × %
4. JV, shared control
IFRS 可用proportionate consolidation(优先), 也可以用equity method。
- GAAP只能用equity method
- 不记minority interest
- current asset = ca 1 + ca 2×% – cost(收购价)其他部分也按比例加;equity 不变
Purchased Method:
- 用market value,paid in capital 要加上investee的asset – liability(市场价);
- investee报表里面的goodwill被忽略,来计算investor的goodwill.
- impairment loss记在income statement,continuing operations
- bargain purchase ,GAAP下,要reassess,超过cost的部分从noncurrent asset减掉,还有多的放到income statement, extraordinary gain.IFRS下,超出部分都记income statement, continuing operation, 不计extraordinary。
- GAAP和IFRS对比:
- GAAP下,小于100%的收购,按fair value,剩下的按book value(blended value 加权平均);IFRS下,都按fair value
- GAAP下,在途R&D算identifiable asset, 一旦goodwill算完,R&D在income statement算expense掉;IFRS做amortize处理
- GAAP下,contingency resolved 和determined 才记;IFRS要估计,包括在purchase price里面。
Pooling Method(已停用):用book value
SPE(VIE in IFRS):一般都off-balance sheet
QSPE:GAAP可用,IFRS不可用。
P136 Equity method, proportionate consolidatation, consolidation method对比:ROE都一样,net income都一样,equity都一样。
CFA L2 笔记 Fixed Income
Credit Risk 3种:Default Risk, Credit Spread Risk和Downgrade Risk
Rating 的3个 Source: Credit Rating反映default的可能性,Rating Watch观察期,Rating Outlook长期预测
Moody建议:
1. 有downgrade watch, rating降2个notches
2. 有negative outlook, rating降1个notch
3. 有stable outlook 保持rating
4. 有positive outlook, rating升1个notch
5. 有upgrade watch, rating升2个notch
Credit Analysis的4c:
1.character, corporate governance管理层和董事会的关系,董事会越独立越好。
2.covenants, affirmative covenants要求公司要做什么,negative covenants要求公司不能做什么。
3.collateral,
4.capacity, Moody用4个factor衡量:industry trends, regulatory environment, operating and competitive position, financial position and source of liquidity,company structure, parent company support agreements, and special event risk.
Ratios: ROE, current ratio, acid-test ratio,
long-term debt-to-capitalization ratio, total debt-to-capitalization ratio
EBIT coverage ratio, EBITDA coverage ratio
Cash Flow Analysis:
Net Income + depreciation +/- other noncash items
=Funds from operations
+decrease in noncash current assets – increase in nondebt current liabilities
=Operating cash flow
- capital expenditures
=Free operating cash flow
-Cash dividends
=Discretionary cash flow
-acquisitions + asset disposals + other sources(uses)
=Prefinancing cash flow
S&P 用的cash flow framework
Funds from operations / total debt
Funds from operations / capital spending requirements
(Free operating cash flow + interest) / interest
Debt service coverage = (Free operating cash flow + interest) / (interest + annual principal repayment )
Debt payback period = total debt / discretionary cash flow
High-Yield Corporate Bonds 研究 Debt Structure 和Corporate Structure
Asset-Backed Securities(ABS)最重要的是collateral quality, 另一个重要的是concentration of loans in the collateral pool. 比较复杂的是seller/servicer的quality也需要评估,没有biz和operating risk
Municipal Bond里面的tax-backed debt研究issuer’s debt structure, budgetary policy, local tax and intergovernmental revenue availability, issuer’s sociaeconomic environment.
MB里面的Revenue bonds研究 limits of the basic security, flow of funds structure, rate or user charge, covenants, priority-of-revenue claims, additional-bonds test
Sovereign bond在S&P研究
economic risk : economic and income structure, prospects for economic growth, degree of fiscal flexibility, public debt burden, monetary policy and price stability, balance of payment flexibility, external debt and liquidity
political risk: 政体,政权稳定,经济政策的支持程度,全球化的经济和金融体系,内外部证券风险
National Gov有2个rate,
local currency debt rating
foreign currency debt rating, 通常higher default rate和lower credit rating
Corporate Bond研究capacity to pay和corporate governance structure, 研究biz和operating risk
to be continue…
CFA L2 笔记 Economics
Rule of 70, approximate years to double = 70/growth rate
Factors of production:
Land, Capital Goods, Labor, Entrepreneurial ability
Preconditions of economic growth:
Markets, Property rights, Monetory exchange
Labor productivity growth / Real GDP per labor hour有2个因素决定,
1.growth in physical capital per labor hour, 导致move along productivity curve,technology level一定的情况下,有One-Third Rule,1%改变1/3%的real GDP per labor hour,剩下的是technological change导致的改变。
2.technological change ,导致productivity curve to shift
有law of diminishing returns
Key method to increase eco growth:
encouraging savings
encouraging R&D to develop tech advances that are public goods
stimulate international trade to realize gains from specification
improve the quality of education by investing in human capital
Key factors driving eco growth:
Saving and investment in new capital
Investment in human capital
Discovery new tech
3个Growth Theories
1.Classical growth theory,说real GDP是temporary (real GDP/person up above subsisitence level)-> population explodes -> Real GDP/person down to subsistence level.

2.Neoclassical growth theory, 说no tech change -> no real GDP growth, Tech Change -> increased saving and investment -> capital per labor hour grow and real return fall.
when real return = target return, economic growth stops.
Tech drives eco growth, but not influenced by eco growth.
population growth independent of economic growth.(difference between 1&2)

3.New growth theory,说Eco growth continues indefinitely as tech advances. Real rate down -> incentive to discover new products and methods -> real return grow and > target return.
Eco growth does influence tech development(difference between 2&3)
low profits is incentive to innovate(key difference btw 2&3)
knowledge capital 不管low of diminishing returns.
也叫perpetual motion economy, endogenous growth model

Economic Regulation: 包括控制natural monopolies 和competitive industries, 为了控制price,有2种,Cost-of-service & Rate-of-return, 控制excessive monopoly profit 和 predatory competitive practices
Social Regulation: 包括控制across all industries
nagative effects: creative response (feedback effect)
Regulator Behavior:
Capture Hypothesis, 说regulator会收industry影响。
Share-the-gains, Share-the-pains theory, 说 regulator会考虑三方的利益,legislators,custormers,regulated firm
Barriers to trade:
Tariff, benefit domestic producers, worker in protected industries and gov. at the expense of domestic consumers and workers outside the protected industry.
Quotas, benefit domestic producers, worker in protected industries, and those with import licenses , at the expense of domestic consumers and worker outside the protected industry.
Voluntary export restrains(VERs), benefit domestic producers, workers in protected industries, and those with export licenses or the power to grant them, at the expense of domestic consumers and workers outside the protected industry.
supports:
1. protect developing industries
2.anti-dumping
3.national defense
little supports:
1. protect jobs.
2.create jobs.
3.depress high wage
Real FX = Nomi Fx × Price in Foreign / Price in Domestic
Currency Demand:
1.demand for export from the country(or area)
2.interest rate of the currency
3.expected future exchange rate
Currency Supply:
1.demand for import
2.interest rate of other currencies
3.expected future exchange rate
Same factors impact on supply&demand, so exchange rate may be quite volatile(more so if supply&demand independent.)
Balance of payment equation(BOP)
current account + capital account + official settlement account = 0
current account: net exchange of goods and services, investment income, unilateral transfers(gifts to or from other nations)
capital account(financial): flow of funds, to make up the difference for current account.
official settlement account: changes in official reserves(foreign currency, gold, IMF special drawing rights(SDRs), other foreign assets)
Flexible ex rate,决定于supply&demand without direct intervention by central bank
Fixed rate, peg the value of a currency, set by gov, need active gov intervention,需要一定的level的 reserves
Crawling Peg ex rate, set a target range for a limited period of time, reduce the risk to run out of reserves
Direct Quotes: DC/FC(base currency/counter currency), Indirect, FC/DC
AUD:USD=0.6 –> USD/AUD= 0.6 –> 0.6-USD/AUD用于计算cross rate
fx market: spot market , forward market, currency swap market
bid-ask spread = (ask-bid)/bid , depend on market conditions, bank and currency dealer positions, trading volume
Triangular Arbitrage
base currency forward discount=forward rate – spot rate = negative number
base currency forward premium=forward rate – spot rate = positive number
Annualized forward premium/discount =(Fr-Sr)/Sr×(360/number of forward contract days)
Interest rate parity, coverd interest arbitrage
forward=spot × (1+rf(n/360)) /(1+rd(n/360))

Unanticipated shift to expansionary monetary policy -> economic growth, accelerated inflation rate, lower real interest rate
Unanticipated shift to expansive fiscal policy -> budget deficits, increase in aggregate demand, accelerated inflation rate, increase in domestic real interest rates
Purchasing power parity(PPP)
relative PPP: E(St)=S0 × [(1+ If)/(1+Id)]^t
International Fisher Relation: interest rate diff. should be equal to expected inflation diff. real interest rates are stable.
exact methodology: (1+r ) =(1+real r)(1+E(I))
linear approximation: r≈real r + E(I) / real r≈ r- E(I)
Uncovered interest rate parity combined PPP 和Fish relation
forward=spot × (1+rf(n/360)) /(1+rd(n/360)) = E[Sn]
(F-S0)/S0 =E(%ΔS)
GDP+net property income from abroad=GNI-depreciation=NNI
GDP常用,但有问题,1. survey得来的数据耗时且不准,2.低估了灰色和地下经济
GDP三部分:perfect world,output=expenditure=income
output:net value added=total production – total cost (most reliable)
expenditure:Total final expenditure(TFE)=all consumption+investment+export goods and services
income:all earnings ,trading profits ,rental income (least reliable)
Expenditure 是market price(含tax和subsidy),Output和Income是factor price
GDP at market price – indirect taxes + subsidies = GDP at factor price
Output是current 和 constant prices
Expenditure是current price, adjusted to constant price,算price index,叫GDP deflator (volatile eco时不准)
Income用current price,用price index转换成constant price
2009.1.30
翻看本博客,发现建立的日期是2008.1.31, 今天正好是整整一年的最后一天。
回想去年2008这时候,拽着个offer,每天晃荡的看几页CFA,找不到工作担心生计,探索有可能的赚钱的方法。
2007年呢,准备考G,准备面试吧,拿了个较大的年终奖。
2006,准备换部门,学着看着,没啥想法。
2005,刚工作半年,刚买二手房,准备着。
2004,拿到工作offer,准备做毕业设计,意气风发。
2003,早早的从寒假回到学校,避过了非典。
2002,记不清楚了…
今年发生的事,将来还是很容易记得住的。大年28,放假回家,为什么这么晚,因为上学以来,回家一次就喘一次回来,疑似宠物毛过敏。那天回去直到睡觉前都没问题,晚上开着电热毯和暖气睡到早上5点,燥热难忍,有点喘不过气,坐起来继续半睡半醒到天亮。心想以前也就这样,坚持几天过完年就回宿舍吧。小喘了一天到年三十临晨6点,又重复前一天的经历,而且这次严重得一点都喘不过气来。赶紧穿上衣服逃离到厨房烧了热水,撑着自己使劲喘气,到喝了几口热水才缓过来。
睡不了了,上网一查,疑似哮喘…回想起已过世的爷爷奶奶,似乎都是因为呼吸系统的问题走的。回溯病因,好像可以追溯到在东北上大学,年少轻狂不知道天高地厚也不知道东北有多冷,就没注意保暖。印象中有好几次半夜咳得不行,估计呼吸系统就是那时候弄坏的。毕业来了上海,冬天也不是这么好过的,郊区还特别的冷。隐约记起从养了狗以后,就有时候半夜会喘,会咳,只是很快就好了,以为只是风寒感冒,或者过敏性鼻炎。直到最近,2,3周回家一次就喘一次,加上这次的威胁,才意识到问题的严重性。
这还没过年呢,再这样弄几天,前途渺茫啊。写遗书的心都动了。想想不对,还有太多的事要做,还有太多的责任要承担。下决心在大年三十去了医院。门诊关门了,去了急诊。内科大夫上来第一句就说,这病会死人。废话,不死人我才不来找你。于是就开始吊盐水,里面掺了些头孢,茶碱之类的抗生素和激素。什么也没带,没啥可干的,边吊边发贺年短信。被朋友邀请去吃了个年夜饭,看看了春晚,赢盘强手棋,nnd,运气都到这上面来了。晚上回去在网上跟同学们扯淡。尝试着睡觉,虽然睡着了,但也没觉得有特别的好转,还是喘。
大年初一又去吊了2瓶,这次还开了个沙丁胺醇气雾剂,典型的哮喘喷剂了。看说明书说一大堆副作用,也不敢喷。咱还是靠自己吧。于是,大年初二又回到了宿舍,边看书,边喝热水,一天烧4壶,烧好了就分装在几个保温杯里,不停的喝,不停的上厕所。这两天是感觉好些了,晚上睡觉至少不会喘醒,但还是有点咳嗽,不咳则已,一咳,就五脏六腑都要动,咳得后脑勺疼。
希望身体争气些,尽快恢复吧。我保证,冬天过去了我就坚持锻炼。
学习以外3个月流水经历
都说学习与生活要平衡,还说Study Hard, Play Hard. 看看我们都干了些什么。
10月底 Outward Training 第一天晚上,就搞了个party,创意无限,人才辈出。
11月初整个班跑去北京开学典礼,见教授。这是nominal的,实际是每天吃饭泡吧唱歌到3点。刚开学不忙的时候,可是总有活动,要么小撮人去打桌球,另一撮去唱歌,要么一帮男生去打篮球,另一帮带着几个mm去打羽毛球。不时的还借用宿舍地下室的Boss音响和投影机放放大片。
圣诞新年晚会,创意比之前的party有过之无不及,唐伯虎点秋香,男女反串,形象大突破。洗刷刷的热舞疯狂,就差没跳破裤子(参考天津邮电晚会视频)。喜洋洋,笑哈哈。晚会结束后,继续泡吧到深夜,第二天还要上课。
1月三亚高峰年会,据称集结了全中国富人中的30%。包了亚龙湾数个超5星酒店,连轴转。有高尔夫球赛,有论坛,有讲座,有圆桌会议,有晚会。几个海滩转了个遍,人多的大东海有俄罗斯美女,人少的亚龙湾有碧蓝的海水。海鲜吃了无数顿,椰子砍了无数个。在温泉里被小鱼咬得牙痒痒。
MBA3个月流水经历
第一模块一个半月,4门必修课:
Managerial Economics, 教授是一典型的美国人,娶了个中国太太(念PHD时,太太念MBA,校友)。后来太太毕业了回国继续发展事业,他也跟过来在这边教书。他十分专业,且敬业。早上上课提早到,下午5点多下课了,晚上9点多还回会来教室看看,答疑。课堂节奏把握得相当好,每当大伙扯淡离题的时候,总能化解,不耽误课堂时间。也很能激发大家的思维,常说的一句被班上的mm崇拜得五体投地,Can I push you a little further? 一本简单的经济学原理被教得深入浅出,绝对是managerial导向,每当涉及到数学推导计算,他总是掠过,然后说,对数学感兴趣的同学可以课后来找我讨论。
Financial Accounting, 教授是一中年美国Lady,据班上mm们观察,每节课着装从来都不重复(好像有一次例外…)。原来在摩根大通,摩根斯坦利,中金都做过,行业经验丰富得不可思议。可惜这课太浅,讲得都是基础的会计概念,没能让她发挥。
Marketing management, 教授是一个挺傲的,挺有品位的北京人,美国罗啥大学拿的PHD, 现在是这的市场营销副教授,还是些知名营销协会的委员,据说在学术界和企业界名声不错。但大家一致认为他讲课不用心,讲的案例也很保守,对大伙的一些创新的idea也不给很高的评价。考试也是给题背,没啥需要发挥的。以至于课上完了没感觉获得了什么。
Analytic For Managers, 教授是一MIT毕业的中国人,原来在剑桥,UCLA,香槟,和NUS都教过。据称是NUS国宝级教授。可是,讲课水平实在是有待提高。典型的技术派,毫无个人形象可言。经常在课堂上系鞋带。把一门统计学讲的支离破碎,据说是我们这个层次的人,将来不会去算什么,只要知道怎么去解释结果就好了。当同学们想问的更深的时候,名言出现了: If you don’t know, even if I tell you, you still don’t know. So I won’t tell you. 撅到一片。最后似乎是为了提醒大家他是MIT毕业的,期末考试最后一题竟然是21点电影里面那个换门的问题,让我们画个决策树…
总结,除了Marketing,别的几门都是考CFA之前多少接触过的,所以即使课排的跟赶场一样,case多得跟地狱一般,个人觉得还是能应付得过来,不时还能给同学们做些讲解,感觉那个好啊。
第二模块,一个月,只有2门必修课,但都很软,不想第一模块的硬课,啃啃就好。
Organizational Behavior, 教授是在美国学术界鼎鼎有名的华人,甚至中美间发生些什么大事,都会有媒体去采访他征询他的观点。出席任何场合,总是西装笔挺,领带扎的正正的,说,系领带是为了约束自己,什么能说什么不能说。OB嘛,讲讲组织,讲讲文化,不过,他讲得更多的是,如何认识自己,自我发展和实现,以及最近很流行的领导力(leadership)。最后一节课提到,怎么给自己写墓碑,写20个我是…(人这一生中扮演的各种角色), 我要…(每个角色的责任)。这课软的让我只能静静的吸收。
Strategic Management, 教授是一个据称没在企业做过的,PHD毕业就做教授做到现在的上海人,同样,学术界也是赫赫有名的。战略课,更多的是分析过去的成功或是不成功的公司,都用了哪些成功或是不成功的战略。也讲了好多模型用于分析行业和公司。由于时间太短,还没来得及应用和练手。
虽然只有2门课,晚上躺下的时间却比第一模块更晚。时间飞逝,1/3已经过去,还没来得及思考人生。