IMT Exam 2 Blueprint: Topic Checklist
Checklist-style IMT Exam 2 blueprint for portfolio policy, allocation, securities, managed products, risk, monitoring, and case-based readiness review.
Use this blueprint as a practical checklist before IMT Exam 2 vignette practice. Always confirm current official CSI curriculum and candidate requirements with CSI; this page is an independent study organizer.
Readiness checklist
| Area | You should be able to… | Practice signal |
|---|---|---|
| Client and mandate | Identify objectives, constraints, and IPS implications | You can explain why one fact controls the answer |
| Portfolio construction | Link allocation, diversification, correlation, and risk profile | You can reject unsuitable allocations quickly |
| Fixed income | Apply duration, convexity, yield, spread, and liability matching | You choose the correct rate-risk action |
| Equity analysis | Use valuation methods, ratios, growth, and risk cues | You can spot incompatible valuation inputs |
| Managed products | Compare funds, ETFs, active/passive mandates, fees, liquidity, and tax | You can defend product fit from client facts |
| Derivatives and currency | Identify hedge direction and exposure being reduced | You do not confuse risk reduction with return enhancement |
| Performance evaluation | Select TWR, MWR, Sharpe, Treynor, alpha, attribution, or benchmark review | You match the metric to the decision |
| Monitoring | Decide when to rebalance, review, replace, or document | You do not change a portfolio without a policy reason |
Topic-by-topic prompt list
| Prompt | Use it to check |
|---|---|
| What is the required return, and is it realistic? | Return objective and planning assumptions |
| Which risk limit is binding: ability, willingness, or mandate? | Suitability and IPS discipline |
| When will cash be needed? | Liquidity, time horizon, and fixed-income fit |
| What tax issue changes the answer? | Asset location, turnover, income character, capital gains |
| What benchmark fits the mandate? | Performance and manager review |
| Is the portfolio diversified for the stated objective? | Concentration and correlation risk |
| Does the product match the client, not just the market view? | Managed product suitability |
| What should be documented before action? | Advice process and governance |
Score your readiness
| Level | Meaning | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Green | You can explain the rule and apply it in a case | Move to mixed vignette practice |
| Yellow | You know the rule but miss case facts | Slow down and annotate controlling facts |
| Red | You cannot explain the formula, concept, or suitability rule | Return to official material, then drill the topic |
Next step
Use the IMT Exam 2 scenario practice guide to turn this checklist into a repeatable case-reading method.