Question of the Week

A CFA Member or Candidate may be justified in disclosing confidential information received from a client, but not be in violation of Standard III-E, Preservation of Confidentiality. In making such a disclosure, all of the following situations would be justified except:

A) This information was only disclosed following written authorization by the client.
B) This information is being requested by prosecuting attorneys in a court case involving the client.
C) This information is outside the scope of the confidential relationship.
D) This information is being forwarded to a business associate seeking sales leads.

Answer:

The correct answer is: D)

While acknowledging the importance of preserving confidentiality (and sensitivity of financial information disclosed), the Standards of Practice Handbook discusses a number of exceptions to its rule - such as if the client authorizes a disclosure, or if such disclosure is legally required, or if the information is not material. On the other hand, Standard III-E is intended to prevent situations such as business associates sharing sales leads.



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Professionals FAQs
  1.

    Where can I look for a financial planner?

    References from trusted friends or family members can help you find a financial planner; however, keep in mind that your friends' financial situations and goals may differ from yours and, therefore, their planners won't necessarily be the best fit for you.The Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards certifies financial planners and maintains an online list of certified financial planners on its CFP Board of Standards website.
  2.

    If I am looking to get an Investment Banking job. What education do employers prefer? MBA or CFA?

    If you are looking specifically for an investment banking position, an MBA may be marginally preferable over the CFA. The caveat here is that the MBA would most probably need to be from a Top-20 B-School.The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is well worth considering if you (a) are aiming for an entry-level position in investment banking, and/or (b) cannot afford to shell out six figures for an MBA or have to settle for a lesser-known B-school.That's because in the investment banking field, most entry-level positions are at the analyst level.
  3.

    Can I still pass the CFA Level I if I do poorly in the ethics section?

    You may still pass the Chartered Financial Analysis (CFA) Level I even if you fare poorly in the ethics section, but don't count on it. The CFA Institute has long emphasized that ethics is a particular area of focus for it. The seriousness with which the CFA Institute views ethics is evident from the fact that for exam candidates with borderline total scores, performance on the ethics section can mean the difference between passing and failing the exam.
  4.

    Where do most fund managers get their market information?

    Many fund managers, whether they manage a mutual fund, trust fund, pension or hedge fund, have access to resources that the "average Joe" investor does not, but the type and quality of information generally remains the same for all investors. The information that managers use comes from publicly available information in the form of news releases, annual reports and filings with pertinent exchanges.