what is an investment analyst 
an investment analyst is an individual who analyzes financial assets and the broader economy to make investment decisions for a firm they spend their time analyzing the financial statements of companies and the performance of the economy through government data such as gdp unemployment inflation and more investment analysts gather data sort this data analyze it and come up with conclusions based on their research they then recommend buying or selling assets whether those be stocks bonds commodities or other assets the bottom linebefore making any investment decision investors need to perform an investment analysis they need to analyze the overall economy specific industries economies and global politics to get an understanding of where they can find value and where they can avoid risks though there are different types of investment analysis the goal is always to find the best place to put money for the right risk reward ratio 