FIN 352: Investment Management   -   Professor Dow

Part I – Investing Basics

The learning goals for this section are to understand the basic investing options and to be able to construct an investment portfolio using mutual funds.

Checklist Additional Readings

1. Understanding Investments
__ Reading: Jones, Chapter 1
__ Lecture:  What do investors do?
__ Lecture:  Investing as part of a personal financial plan.
__ Worksheet:  Reviewing percentages

A personal financial plan (worksheet)

Vanguard: Principles for Investing Success

Vanguard: Research Webpage

2. Investment Alternatives
__ Reading: Jones, Chapter 2
__ Lecture:
__ Lecture
__ Flash Cards on Quizlet , PDF
__ Problems: P2.1, 2.2, 2.3.

3. Indirect Investing
__ Reading: Jones, Chapter 3
__ Lecture: How mutual funds work
__ Lecture: Getting information online.
__ Problems: CP3.1, 3.2, 3.4
__ Flash Cards on Quizlet, PDF

Vanguard: ETFs

Vanguard: ETFs vs Mutual Funds

 


4. Asset Allocation
__ Reading: The SEC's Beginner's Guide to Asset Allocation
__ Reading: My Notes on Asset Allocation
__ Reading: Jones, Chapter 8, pp. 203-213
__ Lecture:  Asset Allocation
  Risk tolerance quiz
 Alternative risk tolerance quiz

Some webpages that offer simple rules about asset allocation:

"Lazy" Asset Allocation

Asset allocators (in order of increasing complexity).

CNN/Money
Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System
Vanguard