SAMPLE PAPER

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INTRODUCTION TO SECURITIES & INVESTMENT PE
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Syllabus version 14a
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TIME ALLOWED: 1 HOUR

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No copying of any part of this paper is permitted without the prior

written authority of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment

Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment

How to use this sample paper

These 50 questions should be answered in an hour in the real exam, so make sure you time
yourself accurately.

Record your answer for each question by circling your selected answer.

When you have finished the test, you may check your answers against the Answer Sheet
at the back of this paper.

The exam is scored as follows:

46-50 Pass with Merit

35-45 Pass
30-34 Marginal Fail
0-29 Fail

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For those questions you answered incorrectly, the answer sheet will show you the

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corresponding syllabus element, sub element and learning objective against which the
questions were written, so you can identify any syllabus areas where you may need to
revise further.
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

1 A capitalisation issue would have which ONE of the following effects on an investor`s
shareholding?

A The number of shares will change

B The share price will remain the same

C There will be partial payment of capital

D The investor will be required to sell part of his holding

2 The XETRA DAX index relates to stock market performance in which ONE of the

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following countries?

A Italy
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B Germany

C France
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D Spain
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3 A buyer of exchange-traded futures would be:

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A going long

B going short

C supplying the underlying

D closing the underlying

Introduction to Securities & Investment

4 Which ONE of the following is responsible for pricing units in a unit trust?

A Depository

B Manager

C Trustee

D Director

5 A firm of advisers has received a written complaint from a customer. Within what
MAXIMUM period after the date of the original complaint must the firm issue a final

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response?

A 5 working days
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B 10 working days

C 6 weeks
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D 8 weeks
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

6 Which ONE of the following is a measure of inflation in the UK?

A Exchange rate

B FTSE 100 Index

C Balance of Payments

D Retail Price Index

7 An agreement to buy or sell a particular financial instrument at a specified date at an

agreed price is known as a:

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A warrant

B call option PE
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C put option
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D future
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

8 Which type of occupational pension scheme converts pensionable service into a

benefit related to pensionable salary at or near retirement?

A Contracted-Out Money Purchase Scheme

B Executive Pension Plan

C Final Salary Scheme

D Small Self-Administered Scheme

9 Which of the following is a mandatory event?

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A Dividend

B Rights issue PE
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C Takeover
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D Scrip Dividend
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

10 What is the MAXIMUM compensation award that the Financial Ombudsman can make
a firm pay?

A 25,000

B 50,000

C 150,000

D 250,000

11 What protection product solution would be MOST suitable for a company that employs

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a consulting engineer because of his detailed knowledge of a particular project?

A Partnership insurance
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B Business insurance protection

C Shareholder insurance
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D Directors` insurance
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

12 A client holds an 8% bond which matures in 2014. It is currently trading at 124. What
is the flat yield?

A 1.80%

B 5.16%

C 6.45%

D 25.81%

13 Which ONE of the following financial activities is MOST likely to be carried out in the

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retail sector?

A Trading of options
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B Corporate finance

C Financial planning
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D Reinsurance
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14 The difference between a lender`s quoted interest rate and its effective annual rate,
NORMALLY relates to what key factor?
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A Tax relief on the interest payments

B Frequency with which interest is levied

C Payment protection insurance to cover interest during sickness

D Discounts for making interest payments early

Introduction to Securities & Investment

15 Commercial paper is:

A short term debt issued at a discount to par and repaid at par on maturity

B long term debt issued at a discount to par and repaid at par on maturity

C short term debt issued at par and repaid at a predetermined level on maturity

D long term debt issued at par and repaid at a predetermined level on maturity

16 The shares of an investment trust are said to be trading at a premium when the share
price is:

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A higher than the net asset value

B lower than the net asset value PE

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C rising faster than the rate of inflation
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D rising at a slower rate than the rate of inflation

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17 What is the main exchange for trading financial derivatives in the UK?
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A LME

B virt-x

C Liffe

D AIM
Introduction to Securities & Investment

18 If money laundering is suspected, to whom must employees report their suspicion?

A Compliance Officer

B Money Laundering Reporting Officer

C Internal auditor

D Serious Organised Crime Agency

19 What are UK Government issued interest bearing securities known as?

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A Equities

B Bonds
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C Gilts

D Swaps
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20 What is a gilt with 5 years or less until redemption known as?

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A Long
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B Medium

C Short

D Repo
Introduction to Securities & Investment

21 All firms who wish to conduct financial services business in the UK have to undergo an
authorisation process. The main reason for this is to ensure that the firm in question:

A is deemed to treat customers fairly

B offers competitively priced products

C is considered fit and proper

D pays the correct level of taxes

22 Fund A is an authorised fund and Fund B is an unauthorised fund. This means that:

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A only Fund A can be marketed to the general public

B only Fund A will benefit from tax relief PE

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C only Fund B can accept overseas investors
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D only Fund B will use accumulation units

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Introduction to Securities & Investment

23 The use of which type of investment wrapper means that the payments made by the
investor will attract tax relief at outset?

A Child trust funds

B Pensions

C Investment bonds

D Cash ISAs

24 Where tax is deducted at source from the gross interest, the actual amount payable is

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normally described as:

A nominal interest
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B yield interest

C real interest
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D net interest
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25 Which ONE of the following indices contains only the largest companies, by
capitalisation, listed on the London Stock Exchange?
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A FTSE 100

B FTSE 250

C FTSE All Share

D FTSE Techmark
Introduction to Securities & Investment

26 A life policy is essentially a contract between which two principal parties?

A An underwriter and an insurance company

B An insurance company and an individual

C An individual and an investment manager

D An investment manager and an underwriter

27 What is the PRIME responsibility of the Bank of England`s Monetary Policy Committee
(MPC)?

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A Determining interest rates in accordance with inflation targets

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Intervening in the market to influence exchange rates
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C Organising the amount of notes and coins in circulation
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D Preparing economic statistics for the Government

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Introduction to Securities & Investment

28 A fund manager has decided to adopt a `core-satellite` approach to its investment

strategy. The key characteristic of this strategy is that it combines:

A fundamental analysis with technical analysis

B active management with passive management

C short-term objectives with long-term objectives

D top down focusing with bottom up focusing

29 What fundamental factor usually dictates the price of goods and services within a

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market economy?

A Level of import tariffs

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B Foreign exchange controls

C Supply and demand

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D Government policy
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Introduction to Securities & Investment

30 When a shareholder delegates the right to vote at an AGM to another person, which of
the following statements is TRUE?

A The right to vote should be delegated to a neutral party

B The right to vote is always delegated to the chairman

C They give a power of attorney

D They appoint a proxy

31 In which ONE of the following ways can unit trusts be purchased?

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A A stockbroker purchasing via a market maker

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A stockbroker purchasing via the Stock Exchange Electronic Trading System
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C A private investor purchasing direct from the manager
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D An investment advisor purchasing direct from the trustee

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32 Which ONE of the following arrangements BEST describes an ISA?

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A Direct equity investment

B Long-term deposit

C Tax-efficient wrapper for investments

D Tax-free endowment policy

Introduction to Securities & Investment

33 Capital Gains Tax is payable on which ONE of the following assets?

A The maturity value of an endowment policy

B The sale value of a UK company debenture

C The encashment of National Savings Certificates

D The sale of equities

34 What does an investor have the right to do when she buys a traded call option?

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A The right to sell a share at a predetermined price by a given date

B
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The right to buy a share at a predetermined price by a given date
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C The right to sell a share at a price to be determined by a given date

D The right to buy a share at a price to be determined by a given date

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Introduction to Securities & Investment

35 Which ONE of the following statements regarding Exchange-Traded Funds

in the UK is TRUE? They are:

A priced at or near net asset value

B private limited companies

C traded through a market maker

D subject to UK stamp duty

36 What would be the economic impact of having higher inflation rates than other major

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industrialised countries?

A Improved balance of payments

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B Improved market certainty concerning personal savings

C Loss of international competitiveness

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D Reduced unemployment rates

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Introduction to Securities & Investment

37 A spot transaction in foreign exchange is one that settles:

A in two business days

B in five business days

C at a date to be agreed

D within two hours of confirmation

38 Within an OEIC who is responsible for the safekeeping of the scheme property?

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A The Investment Management Association

B The Authorised Corporate Director

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C The Depository

D The Financial Conduct Authority

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39 What kind of securities trade on SETS?

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A Shares in foreign companies

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B Shares in companies with a market capitalisation below 700,000

C Bonds

D Shares in the largest UK companies

Introduction to Securities & Investment

40 Safekeeping of securities is a function BEST described as that of a:

A Custodian

B Market maker

C Broker

D Investor

41 Which ONE of the following investments is covered by the insider dealing legislation?

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A Bank deposits

B Commercial property
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C Equities

D Gold
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42 Which of the following normally have voting rights attributed to them at the time of
issue?
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A Preference shares

B Warrants

C Ordinary shares

D Eurobonds
Introduction to Securities & Investment

43 In which ONE of the following circumstances would individuals be committing the

offence of insider dealing?

A Dealing when they did not expect the trade to result in a profit

B Dealing when they believed, on reasonable grounds, that the information had
been sufficiently widely disclosed

C Dealing in order to settle a debt irrespective of information they had become

aware of

D Dealing using information that was not available to the market, to make a profit

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44 Which market would you use if you wished to trade in aluminium alloy?

A ICE Futures PE
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B LME

C Lloyds of London
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D Euronext.liffe
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45 What is a unit trust?

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A A pool of investments managed collectively on behalf of its investors by a fund

manager

B A pool of investments managed on behalf of its investors by an Authorised

Corporate Director

C A company set up with the sole intention of investing in the shares of other
companies

D A company which exchanges commitments with another to gain from the profit of
the new commitment
Introduction to Securities & Investment

46 What is the meaning of "registered title" in relation to quoted equities?

A Company name registered at Companies House

B Company name registered with the exchange on which the shares trade

C Shareholder name shown on the company register in relation to a shareholding

D The name of the underlying investor using a nominee company to hold shares

47 Compared to direct property investment, Real Estate Investment Trusts normally offer
a reduced level of:

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A liquidity risk

B institutional risk PE
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C legal risk
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D systemic risk
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48 A transfer to which of the following is usually exempt from inheritance tax?

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A Sibling

B Children

C Parents

D Spouse
Introduction to Securities & Investment

49 Treasury Bills are considered low risk investments because:

A they are government backed

B they cannot fall in value

C they have a short life-span

D the risk lies with the issuer

50 What MAXIMUM proportion of the amount paid into an investment bond can be
withdrawn in the first year, whilst ensuring that an immediate tax liability is avoided?

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A 2.5%

B 5.0% PE
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C 7.5%
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D 10.0%
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ANSWER SHEET
Introduction to Securities & Investment

Question Key Syllabus/Unit Element

1 A 4 1 5
2 B 4 1 10
3 A 6 4 1
4 B 7 2 3
5 D 8 5 2
6 D 2 1 6
7 D 6 2 1
8 C 9 3 2
9 A 4 1 4
10 C 8 5 3
11 B 10 4 2
12 C 5 3 2

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13 C 1 1 2
14 B 10 1 2
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A
A
C
3 2 2
7 5 3
6 5 1
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18 B 8 2 3
19 C 5 1 1
20 C 5 1 1
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21 C 8 1 3
22 A 7 1 3
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23 B 9 3 1
24 D 3 1 2
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25 A 4 1 10
26 B 10 3 2
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27 A 2 1 3
28 B 7 1 2
29 C 2 1 1
30 D 4 1 6
31 C 7 4 2
32 C 9 2 2
33 D 9 1 1
34 B 6 3 2
35 A 7 6 1
36 C 2 1 5
37 A 3 4 1
38 C 7 3 2
39 D 4 1 8
40 A 1 1 1
41 C 8 3 1
42 C 4 1 2
ANSWER SHEET
Introduction to Securities & Investment

43 D 8 3 1
44 B 6 5 1
45 A 7 2 1
46 C 4 1 13
47 A 7 5 1
48 D 9 1 3
49 A 3 2 2
50 B 9 4 1

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