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Regulation and Compliance > Federal Regulation > FINRA

FINRA's New Research Analyst Exam Starts May 15

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The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has revised its Research Analyst exam program — Series 86 and 87 exams — to include fewer questions and revised content.

The changes will appear in Series 86 and 87 exams administered on or after May 15, FINRA states.

The revised Series 86 and 87 exams encompass the five major job functions a Research Analyst performs.

FINRA Rule 1220(b)(6), Research Analyst, requires an associated person whose primary job is to provide investment research and who is primarily responsible for preparing the substance of an equity research report, or whose name appears on an equity research report, to be registered and qualified as a Research Analyst.

In its regulatory notice, FINRA states that it “conducted a job analysis study of Research Analysts, which included a survey, to develop each function and associated tasks and update the required knowledge set forth in the revised content outline.”

These functions and associated tasks reflect the day-to-day activities of a Research Analyst.

The five major job functions on the revised exams are:

Series 86: Information and Data Collection; Data Verification and Analysis; and Valuation and Forecasting.

Series 87: Preparation of Research Reports; and Dissemination and Marketing of Information Activities.

FINRA said that it reduced the number of scored questions on the Series 86 exam from 100 multiple-choice questions to 85; the number of scored questions on the Series 87 exam remains the same.

“In reviewing the results of the survey and the changes to the tasks and knowledge required to function as a Research Analyst, FINRA determined an 85-question Series 86 exam can sufficiently sample the requisite knowledge domain,” the broker-dealer self-regulator said.

Further, FINRA states that it adjusted the number of questions assigned to each major job function “to ensure the overall exam better reflects the key tasks a Research Analyst performs.”

FINRA updated the Series 86 and 87 exam program to reflect the laws, rules and regulations most relevant to the functions and associated tasks of a Research Analyst by including FINRA Rule 5280 (Trading Ahead of Research Reports) and removing FINRA Rule 2220 (Options Communications).

Candidates will continue to have four hours and 30 minutes to complete the Series 86 exam, and one hour and 45 minutes to complete the Series 87 exam, FINRA states.


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