Knowledge of Capital Markets (Brown Cards) Flashcards
Which of the following is NOT a role of investment banks?
A) Help companies raise capital via underwriting
B) Provide depository accounts. loans, and mortgages
C) Evaluate company assets while following SEC regulations
D) Act as a broker or intermediary between securities issuers and investors
B:
Investment banks do not provide depository accounts (checking or savings accounts), nor do they offer loans or home mortgages as a traditional bank does. Their main purpose is to help raise capital, evaluate assets, and act as brokers or intermediaries between securities issuers and investors.
Which of the following is a tool the Federal Reserve uses to affect the money supply and economic growth?
A) Changing government taxation
B) Adjusting gcwernment expenditures
C) Open market operations
D) Implementing fiscal policy
C:
The Federal Reserve uses open market operations to affect the money supply and economic growth. By buying or selling United States Treasury securities, the Federal Reserve can adjust the money supply in the market, thus impacting economic growth. Choices A and B are related to fiscal policy, which is not under the purview of the Federal Reserve, while Choice D refers to government policies more broadly.
What agency protects clients of brokers in the event of financial failure or bankruptcy?
A) The FDIC
B) The Federal Reserve
C) The CIS Treasury
D) The SIPC
D:
The SIPC provides services in the case of a broker failing. Financial assistance maybe provided by the US Treasury if SIPC funds are not adequate. They organize the distribution of cash and securities when this occurs. The FDIC insures bank deposits, The Federal Reserve institutes monetary policy and provides some bank oversight and regulation.
A registration statement does NOT include what information?
A) Information on a company’s board of directors
B) Financial information and company history
C) A background on each of the company’s employees
D) Information on any pending litigation
C:
There is information about the company’s management and board of directors, but not about each employee at the company. All the other answers are legally required parts of a registration statement.
What is the difference between a broker and a dealer?
A) Brokers handle contracts; dealers handle stocks.
B) Brokers deal with retail investors; dealers deal with
institutional investors.
C) Bookers focus on Forex trading; dealers focus on behalf of themselves.
D:
Choice D is Correct because brokers act as intermediaries on their client’s behalf, while dealers (also called principles) trade on their own account, and this is the primary
distinction between the two. Choices A, B, and C all discuss activities that can be done by both brokers and dealers; both of them can handle stocks and options, work with both retail and institutional investors, and deal in both Forex and
commodities trading.
A municipal 529 program is established for which of the following purposes?
A) Municipal tax calculations
B) College savings plans
C) Municipal bond interest estimates
D) Municipal securities registrations
B:
Choice B, college savings plans, may be either college savings plans or prepaid tuition plans. Choices A, C, and D are not related to 529 plans.
The Federal Reserve may adjust interest rates in which of the following ways?
A) Adjusting rates on credit cards
B) Adjusting rates on home mortgages
C) Adjusting the rate the Fed charges for overnight loans
D) Adjusting rates on corporate bonds
C:
Choice C, adjusting the rate the Fed charges for overnight loans, is setting the federal funds rate. Choices A, B, and D are not actions of the Federal Reserve.
Which of the following is NOT among the typical duties of an investment adviser?
A) Trading stocks on behalf of their client
B) Giving advice about current market trends
C) Directly making a financial plan for a client
D) Making predictions about future market trends
A:
Choice A is correct because investment advisers are generally hired to offer investment advice to their clients; they do not make meaningful financial decisions on behalf of the client. Choices B, C, and D are all within the realm
of typical duty for an investment adviser.
Which term describes the selling and purchasing of securities by the Federal Reserve?
A) Open market activities
B) Direct action
C) Lobbying activities
D) Public comment
A:
Choice A is an indirect method for the Federal Reserve to manage monetary policy. Choice B refers to adjusting the federal funds rate or the discount rate. Choice C does
not refer to activities performed by the Federal Reserve. Choice D refers to releasing statements to the public that are intended to influence investors’ activities without the Federal Reserve having to take action.
What is the correct order of the four key phases of the business cycle?
A) Peak, expansion, trough, contraction
B) Contraction, expansion, trough, peak
C) Expansion, trough, contraction, peak
D) Expansion, peak, contraction, trough
D:
The correct order of the four key phases of the business cycle is expansion, peak, contraction, and trough. Expansion starts with strong economic indicators and moves to the
peak, which is the high point of the expansion phase. Next, is the contraction which is usually a recession or even a depression. The trough phase is last. This is when downtrends begin to level off which allows for the cycle to begin again with expansion.
Which self-regulatory organization (SRO) participates in the securities industry?
A) Financial Planning Association (FPA)
B) Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. (CBOE)
C) American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI)
D) American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA)
B.
Choice B, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. (CBOE), is in the securities industry. Choices A, C, and D are not in the securities industry.
When a company issues additional new securities and/or
securities to previous shareholders, this is referred to as which of the following?
A) Initial public offering (IPO)
B) Contingent value rights (CVR)
C) Private placement
D) Follow-on public Offering (FPO)
D:
Choice D refers to offering the public some shares held by early shareholders. Choice A refers to newly-issued shares offered to the public by the company, Choice B refers to a benefit that shareholders of a company may receive if a specific situation arises, such as a reorganization or an
acquisition by a second company, Choice C, also known as a non-public offering, refers to securities sold to a few chosen investors, such as acquaintances, relatives, accredited investors, and large institutions that invest in several companies.
Which of the following is a function of Congress?
A) Control the international balance of payments.
B) Control monetary policy by directly stimulating the economy through open market activities.
C) Control fiscal policy by directly stimulating the economy through deficit spending.
D) Make decisions primarily based on economic analysis.
C:
Congress stimulates the economy by authorizing more expenditures than what is collected through taxes. Choice A
is not directly determined by Congress, as the balance of payments is the net inflow or outflow of funds from imports and exports. Choice B reflects action by the Federal Reserve.
Choice D is incorrect; Congress is responsive to constituencies and their political preferences, so they take action with broad goals.
Which area on the business cycle chart refers to the strongest phase of the economy?
A) Peak
B) Expansion
C) Trough
D) Contraction
A:
Choice A refers to the highest point on the chart when the economy is the strongest. Choice B refers to the rising portion of the chart when economic activity is increasing, Choice C refers to the lowest part of the chart when the
economy is at its smallest magnitude. Choice D refers to the period when economic activity is decreasing.
Which statement is true?
A) The gross national product (GNP) is greater than the gross domestic product (GDP).
B) The gross domestic product (GDP) is greater than the national debt.
C) Exchange rates are the differences between the GDP and the GNP
D) A trade surplus is certain to be healthy for a nation over a long period of time.
A:
Choice A reflects the addition of a country’s goods and services produced and exported to the GDP to calculate the GNP. Choice B isn’t always correct, depending on the
situation. Choice C, exchange rates, refers to the proportion of one nation’s money that can be exchanged for another nation’s money. Choice D is incorrect, as a country can become dependent upon foreign capital, which would not be in the country’s best interest.
What typically happens when interest rates decline?
A) Bond values decline.
B) Cyclical stocks decline.
C) There is a broad stock market advance.
D) Defensive stocks decline.
C:
The broad stock market prefers lower interest rates. These spur economic growth and a broad stock market advance. Choice A occurs when interest rates increase during
economic growth. Choice B refers to stocks that follow the business cycle, which retreat during contraction when interest rates decline. Choice D refers to stocks of essential industries, such as food and utilities, which advance during the whole business cycle.
Which organization is responsible for calculating the Cboe
Volatility Index (VIX) and sharing its findings with the appropriate parties?
A) FINRA
B) MSRB
C) Cboe Global Markets
D) SEC
C:
Cboe Global Markets created and maintains the VIX, so they are responsible for calculating and publishing it. Choice A is
a self-regulatory organization responsible for regulating/enforcing rules governing brokerage firms and stock markets. Choice B regulates the municipal securities market. Choice D is the primary regulatory body responsible for enforcing federal securities laws and regulating
the securities industry.
Which of the following terms refers to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for a security and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept?
A) Bid-ask spread
B) Yield curve
C) Market capitalization
D) Price-earnings ratio
A:
Bid-ask spread is the cost of trading a security and is the spread between the highest buyer-accepted price (bid price) and ‘he lowest seller-accepted price (ask price). Yield curve shows the relation between interest rates and debt security maturity, while market capitalization reflects the total value of a company’s outstanding shares. price-earnings ratio measures a company’s stock price relative to its earnings per share.
Which of the following statements does NOT describe a function of central banks?
A) Implementing monetary policy
B) Managing foreign exchange reserves
C) Regulating commercial banks and financial institutions
D) Setting fiscal policy and government spending
D:
Central banks are responsible for implementing monetary policy, which includes setting interest rates and controlling
the money supply in the economy to achieve economic objectives. They also manage foreign exchange reserves. In addition, central banks play a regulatory role in the financial system by supervising/regulating financial institutions. Setting fiscal policy and government spending is not their responsibility.