Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (44577)	9/11/2003 3:08:44 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

Making Sense of Uncertain Financial Markets -Professor Krishna Ramaswamy, academic director of the AIMSE/Wharton Institute Charting a course of profitable investments across shifting financial markets is increasingly complex. "These are very disruptive times," said Norbert Kraich, executive director of the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives (AIMSE), which developed an institute with Wharton to help its members tap into the latest financial and marketing knowledge. "It's tough because you're not always sure where you're going from one quarter to the next." Among the challenges: mixed signals from standard economic indicators, new investment vehicles such as hedge funds, and tax changes such as the dividend tax reduction. "Today's market is not one with strong, one-sided indicators," said Professor Krishna Ramaswamy, academic director of the AIMSE/Wharton Institute, the only week-long academic program specifically for investment management sales executives. "For instance, a lot of economic indicators show that the recession is over, but the unemployment numbers are not bearing that out." The increased use of investment products that are not so closely coordinated to overall market performance makes the picture even more complex. "Most of the larger money management firms are participating in alternative investments, and these tend to be fairly complicated," said Kelly Carbone, chair of the education committee at AIMSE, who helps develop curriculum for the Institute. The Institute's week-long format allows members to get not only a refresher in the basics of marketing and finance but also "for Wharton's top finance professors to walk through the more complicated instruments being used by many institutional companies," Carbone said. Bringing More Knowledge to the Table Investment advisors need to bring a more sophisticated understanding to their work. "One way to differentiate yourself in a more competitive market space is by bringing more knowledge to the table," Carbone said. With markets changing rapidly, the institute has continued to be transformed since it was started in 1995. Each year, representatives from AIMSE meet with the program's directors at Wharton to keep the session topics up-to-date. New sessions this year will discuss behavioral finance, alternative investments, and private equity. Wharton's professors have "been very adaptable to what is going on in this industry," said Kraich. "Over the years, they have continued to learn more about our industry, so that each year the program is more meaningful to our members." Interaction with peers also helps to provide a sense of perspective. New and more experienced investment executives get to spend time together and with Wharton faculty. "The younger professionals get to hear from the more experienced managers who have been through tough economic times," Kraich said. "But the lightening bolt that really charges up the atmosphere is how the Wharton professors facilitate the program and get people thinking in whole new directions."