A portfolio analyst, sometimes called a portfolio manager, is a financial professional who helps clients make investment decisions about stocks, bonds, and commodities. You may be a buy-side analyst, working with investors, or a sell-side analyst, working with sellers. As a portfolio analyst, your job duties include analyzing the financial markets, studying economic trends, and making recommendations to your clients about the most effective investment strategies for their financial goals. Some portfolio analysts stop working with clients and become financial analysts for media outlets.