Asset Management (N)

FIE426 Asset Management (N)

Spring 2026

  • Topics

    Asset management is about allocating resources where they create the greatest value, both financially and for society. We all face such choices, whether saving for holidays, housing, or retirement. Still, most of our savings are entrusted to professional managers such as mutual funds, pension funds, banks, and hedge funds. In this course, we focus on understanding and evaluating the key decisions in the asset management process. We place particular emphasis on asset allocation, withdrawal rules, active management, and active ownership - with a strong focus on sustainability. A large share of capital is invested in equities, bonds, and money markets, and we examine how such portfolios are constructed.  Throughout the course, we use the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund (SPU) as a case to illustrate these principles in practice.The fund is one of the world’s largest and most professional investors, offering valuable lessons in long-term strategy. Most importantly, it is crucial to understand how the fund safeguards and develops resources that today finance roughly one-fifth of the national budget.

  • Learning outcome

    Upon completing the course, students will be able to:

    Knowledge

    • Explain the key decisions involved in an investment strategy.
    • Identify investor objectives, including financial goals, sustainability considerations, and risk tolerance.
    • Develop an investment view (investment beliefs), for example regarding risk premia across asset classes - including private equity - and perspectives on market efficiency.

    Skills

    • Design an investment strategy tailored to investor objectives and investment beliefs.
    • Assess and select asset managers to implement the strategy.
    • Analyze and evaluate investment strategies, including through performance measurement.

    General competence

    • Communicate knowledge and analysis effectively, both in writing and orally.
    • Develop savings and investment plans - ranging from personal goals such as housing and retirement to institutional strategies such as the management of the Government Pension Fund Global (the "Oil Fund").

  • Teaching

    • Lectures
    • Discussions (Q&A)
    • Problem-solving / Exercises

  • Recommended prerequisites

    It is recommended that the course is taken after, or in parallel with, the course FIE400 - Financial Markets/Investments.

  • Compulsory Activity

    Two approved assignments/project papers (group work, with 1-4 students per group).

    Note: Mandatory activities may take place before the official registration deadline.

  • Assessment

    Digital 4-hour written individual school exam

  • Literature

    Chapters from Long-term Asset Management - Døskeland

    Supplementary literature:

    • Papers - available at Canvas

  • Permitted Support Material

    Calculator

    One bilingual dictionary (Category I)

    All in accordance with Supplementary provisions to the Regulations for Full-time Study Programmes at the Norwegian School of Economics Ch.4 Permitted support materialhttps://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/regulations/https://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/regulations/and https://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/examinations/examination-support-materials/https://www.nhh.no/en/for-students/examinations/examination-support-materials/

Course responsible

Professor Trond Døskeland, Department of Business and Management Science