Certified Mutual Funds Expert

Duration : 3 months
Classroom : 3 Days (24 Hrs)
Self-Study Hours : 20:00 Hrs

Course Contents

Overview
Over the past decades mutual funds have grown intensely in popularity and have experienced a considerable growth rate. Mutual funds are popular because they make it easy for small investors to invest their money in a diversified pool of securities. As the mutual fund industry has evolved over the years, there have arisen many questions about the nature of operations and characteristics of these funds. This e-learning course on ?Mutual Funds? provides an in-depth coverage of the mutual fund industry and its operations in an interactive format. It is intended to familiarize you with the basic concepts related to mutual funds. The course first provides the fundamentals, explaining what mutual funds are and how they work. The course provides an overall understanding of how equity and bond fund portfolios are managed. Various factors surrounding the performance of mutual funds are then highlighted along with a brief of various standardized performance systems. Finally, the course depicts the recent trends in the mutual funds industry.

Concept of mutual funds
Basic types of mutual funds
Advantages of mutual funds
Difference between mutual funds and bank deposits

Mutual Funds - Structure and Constituents
Constituents and structure of a mutual fund
Mutual funds in the USA and elsewhere.
Difference between a mutual fund and a commercial bank

Various types of Mutual Fund products
Basic classification of mutual funds
Such other products similar to mutual funds

Management of bond fund portfolio
Investment of bond funds
Basic characteristics of a bond
Bond valuation
Risks in bond investment
Techniques to enhance bond fund performance
Managing the bond fund

Management of equity fund portfolio
Equity portfolio
Types of risks and returns that different asset classes offer
Equity share
The value of equity shares
Three types of equity shares
Equity research
Valuation ü Passive and active portfolio management
Portfolio strategies

Accounting and valuation of Mutual Funds
NAV and its importance
Calculating net asset value
Valuing the assets of the mutual fund
The financial statements that are prepared by the mutual fund
The accounting principles followed by the mutual funds

Evaluation of performance of mutual funds
Measuring fund performance
Measuring return
Measuring risk
Risk-adjusted return
Comparing fund performance with a reference
Various standardized performance systems
Limitations of performance measurement and evaluation

Prospectus and Annual Reports of Mutual Fund
Meaning and importance of mutual fund prospectus
The contents of a mutual fund prospectus
The operational aspects an investor should be familiar with
What does the annual report contain?
Shareholder expense
Investment profile
Statement of assets and liabilities
Statement of operations
Statement of changes in net assets
Financial highlights
Notes to financial statements

Regulations of Mutual Fund Industry
Contextual significance of mutual fund regulation
Legal environment of mutual funds
Supervision and regulation
Principles of mutual fund regulation
Standards
Rights of investors
Role of industry players in furthering regulatory objectives
Market context
Transparency and disclosure
Limits on fees and expenses
Internal governance within mutual fund complexes

Trends in Mutual Fund Industry
Size and segments of the mutual fund industry
Competition in the industry
Factors that have contributed to the industry growth 26
Fees and expenses