The Science and Art of Investing

The field of investing has evolved into a rigorous, evidence-based discipline of collecting and analyzing data by researchers and practitioners to uncover the sources of risk and return, which in turn inform how portfolios should be constructed. At the same time, the field of behavioral finance has evolved to demonstrate and explain why investors do not always make financial decisions that are rational. This course explores, on the one hand, the rational, analytical approach to investing, including the efficiency of markets, the factors of risk in markets and the leading models used in the design of portfolios. On the other hand, the course also explores in detail many of the most important behavioral biases that stand in the way of investors making smart decision with their money. Intended for individual investors and financial professionals, the course borrows from numerous real client cases and will address the ultimate question of designing portfolios.