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Business cycle
A CFA term, defined in plain English with the distinction examiners test.
What it means
The recurring pattern of expansion, peak, contraction and trough in economic activity.
The exam angle
Sector rotation questions follow directly from cycle position — defensives late, cyclicals early.
Where it appears in the syllabus
- EconomicsCFA Level I · exam weight 6–9% · Market structures, business cycles, policy, trade and exchange rates.
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Educational content only. This is not financial, investment, legal or regulatory advice. Check the official curriculum for your own exam before relying on any definition here.
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