CFA Institute

Partnerships shape progress. Across the APAC region, we’re collaborating with organizations that share our commitment to professional excellence, ethics, and sustainability. At AIA, we’re embedding a sustainability mindset by upskilling more than 140 investment professionals through the CFA Institute Sustainable Investing Certificate, strengthening their climate transition plan and reinforcing net-zero commitments. With ICBC (Asia), we’re supporting a vision of sustainable growth and innovation. Equipping teams with globally recognized credentials like the CFA Program and the Sustainable Investing Certificate, building the talent needed to advance green finance across Asia. In Thailand, our collaboration with Thailand Capital Market Development Fund and CFA Society Thailand is expanding access to opportunity through scholarships covering all three levels of the CFA Program. This initiative is not only removing barriers but also helping candidates achieve better pass rates, strengthening Thailand’s capital market for the long term. These partnerships show what’s possible when global standards meet local ambition. Building teams, markets, and a profession prepared for the future.

What if fear, not risk, drives markets? Rob D. Arnott, founder and chairman of Research Affiliates, joins us on Enterprising Investor with our host Mike Wallberg, CFA, MJ, to question core beliefs about the equity risk premium and asset allocation. Drawing on his paper 'Fear, Not Risk, Explains Asset Pricing,' Arnott looks at how investor psychology, historical return data, and even AI-driven sentiment tools could reshape how we understand modern finance. Listen and let us know: do you think markets truly reward risk, or is fear the real force at play? Full episode in the comments.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we invest, analyze, and allocate capital. But as innovation accelerates, ethics must keep pace. Responsible progress in finance depends on more than technology, it depends on the integrity behind it.

Finance is evolving faster than ever, raising urgent questions about AI, sustainable investing, and financial inclusion. On Global Ethics Day, we’re reminded that progress in our profession doesn’t come from innovation alone. It comes from the values that guide us, and the questions we’re willing to ask. The future of finance depends on the choices we make together, and ethics must guide every one of them.

The finance world doesn’t stand still, and neither should you. In this month’s CFA Institute Connect, explore the insights, research, and events defining the next era of investment management. From AI and performance standards to sustainability and ethics, stay ahead with curated updates built for finance professionals. Read the latest issue.

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of Financial Analysts Journal, we’re revisiting research that changed how we think about performance and risk. Today we're featuring “Hedge Fund Benchmarks: A Risk‑Based Approach” by William Fung and David A. Hsieh, work that pushed back against superficial benchmarks and introduced more rigorous, risk‑aware ways to judge hedge fund returns. Swipe through to see its impact then, and why it still matters now. Thanks to our contributors: Research and Policy Center David A. Hsieh

Congratulations to all August 2025 Level II candidates, your results are ready. You’ve reached an important milestone. For some, it means moving on to the final exam; for others, it’s a chance to regroup and continue building momentum. Log in to see your results and acknowledge the effort it took to get here.

September CIPM® exam Level I and II candidates, save the date. Your exam results will be released on 4 November!

Meet Ingrid Tierens, CFA, head of the Data Strategy team in the Global Investment Research division at Goldman Sachs. She leads efforts to embed alternative data into research and create systematic solutions that support client decision-making. Her work bridges quantitative research with practical application, shaping how investors interpret and use data in today’s markets. She also serves as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center, is a board member of the Society of Quantitative Analysts and KU Leuven Alumni US Chapter, and sits on advisory boards, including Wharton’s Jacobs Levy Center for Quantitative Financial Research and the Advisory Council of the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center. Alongside these roles, Ingrid contributes to the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center with publications on AI and big data in investment management, where she explores how innovation and technology can transform the investment process.

We’re hosting a series of webinars to help finance professionals stay current, build essential skills, and prepare for what’s next. From mastering compliance under the SEC Marketing Rule to exploring new career paths through the CFA® Program, each session delivers practical insights and global perspectives. SEC Marketing Rule: Common Pitfalls and Best Practices 8 October | 12:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM BST 1 PL credit for CFA Institute members | Sponsored by Dechert LLP Learn how to strengthen performance reporting and compliance practices. Investment Innovation Toward Net Zero – What You Need to Know 9 October | 7:00 AM ET / 12:00 PM BST Hear investor perspectives and explore actionable steps on the journey toward net zero. Student Careers Webinar: CFA® Program 21–23 October | Regional times vary Explore 50+ finance career paths and see how the CFA designation can help you advance your goals. CFA Program Career Paths Webinar Series – Equity Research Analyst 4 November | 8:00 AM ET / 1:00 PM BST Gain insight into the role of a sell-side equity research analyst and the skills needed to succeed. Register now to secure your spot: https://cfainst.is/3NAwY8R