The number of candidates who took the Chartered Financial Advisors (CFA) exam in the Middle East increased by 28 per cent to 3,057 this year across seven test centres.

To earn the CFA charter, candidates must sequentially pass three six-hour exams that are widely considered to be among the most rigorous in the investment profession.

The 2010 exams were given at 255 test centres in 185 cities worldwide to 111,731 candidates who achieved a pass rate of 42 per cent.

The CFA designation continues to attract individuals globally who want to enhance their knowledge and skills to succeed in today's competitive world of investing and finance,T said CFA president and CFA Institute chief executive John Rogers.

Employers, institutional and individual investors, and regulators alike see great value in the heart of the CFA.

"Investors know that when working with a CFA charterholder, they are working with a serious investment professional who is also a trusted adviser," he added.

"Despite the continued uncertainty within the global financial markets, the Middle East remains a dynamic and fast growing region, attracting some of the best professionals from around the world," said CFA Institute Europe Middle East and Africa managing director Nitin Mehta.

"It is reassuring that the financial and investment professionals are continuing to recognise the importance of the very best international qualifications.

"Investment practitioners need a high level of proficiency to practice in today's environment, hence the growing number of candidates from within this region who are choosing to sit for the CFA examinations," he added. – TradeArabia News Service