07 Chapter - Optimal Risky Portfolios
Chapter 07
Optimal Risky Portfolios
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Market risk is also referred to as
A. systematic risk, diversifiable risk.
B. systematic risk, nondiversifiable risk.
C. unique risk, nondiversifiable risk.
D. unique risk, diversifiable risk.
E. none of the above.
Market, systematic, and nondiversifiable risk are synonyms referring to the risk that cannot be
eliminated from the portfolio. Diversifiable, unique, nonsystematic, and firm-specific risks are
synonyms referring to the risk that can be eliminated from the portfolio by diversification.
Difficulty: Easy
4. Diversifiable risk is also referred to as
A. systematic risk, unique risk.
B. systematic risk, market risk.
C. unique risk, market risk.
D. unique risk, firm-specific risk.
E. none of the above.
Market, systematic, and nondiversifiable risk are synonyms referring to the risk that cannot be
eliminated from the portfolio. Diversifiable, unique, nonsystematic, and firm-specific risks are
synonyms referring to the risk that can be eliminated from the portfolio by diversification.
Difficulty: Easy
6. Firm-specific risk is also referred to as
A. systematic risk, diversifiable risk.
B. systematic risk, market risk.
C. diversifiable risk, market risk.
D. diversifiable risk, unique risk.
E. none of the above.
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Market, systematic, and nondiversifiable risk are synonyms referring to the risk that cannot be
eliminated from the portfolio. Diversifiable, unique, nonsystematic, and firm-specific risks are
synonyms referring to the risk that can be eliminated from the portfolio by diversification.
10. The variance of a portfolio of risky securities
A. is a weighted sum of the securities' variances.
B. is the sum of the securities' variances.
C. is the weighted sum of the securities' variances and covariances.
D. is the sum of the securities' covariances.
E. none of the above.
The variance of a portfolio of risky securities is a weighted sum taking into account both the
variance of the individual securities and the covariances between securities.
Difficulty: Moderate
13. Other things equal, diversification is most effective when
A. securities' returns are uncorrelated.
B. securities' returns are positively correlated.
C. securities' returns are high.
D. securities' returns are negatively correlated.
E. B and C.
Negative correlation among securities results in the greatest reduction of portfolio risk, which
is the goal of diversification.
Difficulty: Moderate
14. The efficient frontier of risky assets is
A. the portion of the investment opportunity set that lies above the global minimum variance
portfolio.
B. the portion of the investment opportunity set that represents the highest standard
deviations.
C. the portion of the investment opportunity set which includes the portfolios with the lowest
standard deviation.
D. the set of portfolios that have zero standard deviation.
E. both A and B are true.
Portfolios on the efficient frontier are those providing the greatest expected return for a given
amount of risk. Only those portfolios above the global minimum variance portfolio meet this
criterion.
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Difficulty: Moderate
15. The Capital Allocation Line provided by a risk-free security and N risky securities is
A. the line that connects the risk-free rate and the global minimum-variance portfolio of the
risky securities.
B. the line that connects the risk-free rate and the portfolio of the risky securities that has the
highest expected return on the efficient frontier.
C. the line tangent to the efficient frontier of risky securities drawn from the risk-free rate.
D. the horizontal line drawn from the risk-free rate.
E. none of the above.
The Capital Allocation Line represents the most efficient combinations of the risk-free asset
and risky securities. Only C meets that definition.
Difficulty: Moderate
16. Consider an investment opportunity set formed with two securities that are perfectly
negatively correlated. The global minimum variance portfolio has a standard deviation that is
always
A. greater than zero.
B. equal to zero.
C. equal to the sum of the securities' standard deviations.
D. equal to -1.
E. none of the above.
If two securities were perfectly negatively correlated, the weights for the minimum variance
portfolio for those securities could be calculated, and the standard deviation of the resulting
portfolio would be zero.
Difficulty: Difficult
17. Which of the following statements is (are) true regarding the variance of a portfolio of
two risky securities?
A. The higher the coefficient of correlation between securities, the greater the reduction in the
portfolio variance.
B. There is a linear relationship between the securities' coefficient of correlation and the
portfolio variance.
C. The degree to which the portfolio variance is reduced depends on the degree of correlation
between securities.
D. A and B.
E. A and C.
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The lower the correlation between the returns of the securities, the more portfolio risk is
reduced.
Difficulty: Moderate
19. Efficient portfolios of N risky securities are portfolios that
A. are formed with the securities that have the highest rates of return regardless of their
standard deviations.
B. have the highest rates of return for a given level of risk.
C. are selected from those securities with the lowest standard deviations regardless of their
returns.
D. have the highest risk and rates of return and the highest standard deviations.
E. have the lowest standard deviations and the lowest rates of return.
Portfolios that are efficient are those that provide the highest expected return for a given level
of risk.
Difficulty: Moderate
20. Which of the following statement(s) is (are) true regarding the selection of a portfolio
from those that lie on the Capital Allocation Line?
A. Less risk-averse investors will invest more in the risk-free security and less in the optimal
risky portfolio than more risk-averse investors.
B. More risk-averse investors will invest less in the optimal risky portfolio and more in the
risk-free security than less risk-averse investors.
C. Investors choose the portfolio that maximizes their expected utility.
D. A and C.
E. B and C.
All rational investors select the portfolio that maximizes their expected utility; for investors
who are relatively more risk-averse, doing so means investing less in the optimal risky
portfolio and more in the risk-free asset.
Difficulty: Moderate
Consider the following probability distribution for stocks A and B:
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26. If you invest 40% of your money in A and 60% in B, what would be your portfolio's
expected rate of return and standard deviation?
A. 9.9%; 3%
B. 9.9%; 1.1%
C. 11%; 1.1%
D. 11%; 3%
E. none of the above
E(RP) = 0.4(13.2%) + 0.6(7.7%) = 9.9%;
sP = [(0.4)2(1.5)2 + (0.6)2(1.1)2 + 2(0.4)(0.6)(1.5)(1.1)(0.46)]1/2 = 1.1%.
Difficulty: Difficult
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27. Let G be the global minimum variance portfolio. The weights of A and B in G are
__________ and __________, respectively.
A. 0.40; 0.60
B. 0.66; 0.34
C. 0.34; 0.66
D. 0.76; 0.24
E. 0.24; 0.76
wA = [(1.1)2 - (1.5)(1.1)(0.46)]/[(1.5)2 + (1.1)2 - (2)(1.5)(1.1)(0.46) = 0.23;
wB = 1 - 0.23 = 0.77. Note that the above solution assumes the solutions in obtained question
13 and 14.
Difficulty: Difficult
28. The expected rate of return and standard deviation of the global minimum variance
portfolio, G, are __________ and __________, respectively.
A. 10.07%; 1.05%
B. 9.04%; 2.03%
C. 10.07%; 3.01%
D. 9.04%; 1.05%
E. none of the above
E(RG) = 0.23(13.2%) + 0.77(7.7%) = 8.97% . 9%;
sG = [(0.23)2(1.5)2 + (0.77)2(1.1)2 + (2)(0.23)(0.77)(1.5)(1.1)(0.46)]1/2 = 1.05%.
Difficulty: Moderate
29. Which of the following portfolio(s) is (are) on the efficient frontier?
A. The portfolio with 20 percent in A and 80 percent in B.
B. The portfolio with 15 percent in A and 85 percent in B.
C. The portfolio with 26 percent in A and 74 percent in B.
D. The portfolio with 10 percent in A and 90 percent in B.
E. A and B are both on the efficient frontier.
The Portfolio's E(Rp), sp, Reward/volatility ratios are 20A/80B: 8.8%, 1.05%, 8.38; 15A/85B:
8.53%, 1.06%, 8.07; 26A/74B: 9.13%, 1.05%, 8.70; 10A/90B: 8.25%, 1.07%, 7.73. The
portfolio with 26% in A and 74% in B dominates all of the other portfolios by the meanvariance criterion.
Difficulty: Difficult
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Consider two perfectly negatively correlated risky securities A and B. A has an expected rate
of return of 10% and a standard deviation of 16%. B has an expected rate of return of 8% and
a standard deviation of 12%.
30. The weights of A and B in the global minimum variance portfolio are _____ and _____,
respectively.
A. 0.24; 0.76
B. 0.50; 0.50
C. 0.57; 0.43
D. 0.43; 0.57
E. 0.76; 0.24
wA = 12 /(16 + 12) = 0.4286; wB = 1 - 0.4286 = 0.5714.
Difficulty: Moderate
32. Which of the following portfolio(s) is (are) most efficient?
A. 45 percent in A and 55 percent in B.
B. 65 percent in A and 35 percent in B.
C. 35 percent in A and 65 percent in B.
D. A and B are both efficient.
E. A and C are both efficient.
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The Portfolio E(Rp), sp, and Reward/volatility ratios are 45A/55B: 8.9%, 0.6%, 14.83;
65A/35B: 9.3%, 6.2%, 1.5; 35A/65B: 8.7%, 2.2%, 3.95. Both A and B are efficient according
to the mean-variance criterion. A has a much higher Reward/volatility ratio.
Difficulty: Difficult
33. An investor who wishes to form a portfolio that lies to the right of the optimal risky
portfolio on the Capital Allocation Line must:
A. lend some of her money at the risk-free rate and invest the remainder in the optimal risky
portfolio.
B. borrow some money at the risk-free rate and invest in the optimal risky portfolio.
C. invest only in risky securities.
D. such a portfolio cannot be formed.
E. B and C
The only way that an investor can create portfolios to the right of the Capital Allocation Line
is to create a borrowing portfolio (buy stocks on margin). In this case, the investor will not
hold any of the risk-free security, but will hold only risky securities.
Difficulty: Moderate
36. Portfolio theory as described by Markowitz is most concerned with:
A. the elimination of systematic risk.
B. the effect of diversification on portfolio risk.
C. the identification of unsystematic risk.
D. active portfolio management to enhance returns.
E. none of the above.
Markowitz was concerned with reducing portfolio risk by combining risky securities with
differing return patterns.
Difficulty: Moderate
37. The measure of risk in a Markowitz efficient frontier is:
A. specific risk.
B. standard deviation of returns.
C. reinvestment risk.
D. beta.
E. none of the above.
Markowitz was interested in eliminating diversifiable risk (and thus lessening total risk) and
thus was interested in decreasing the standard deviation of the returns of the portfolio.
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Difficulty: Moderate
39. The unsystematic risk of a specific security
A. is likely to be higher in an increasing market.
B. results from factors unique to the firm.
C. depends on market volatility.
D. cannot be diversified away.
E. none of the above.
Unsystematic (or diversifiable or firm-specific) risk refers to factors unique to the firm. Such
risk may be diversified away; however, market risk will remain.
Difficulty: Moderate
41. The individual investor's optimal portfolio is designated by:
A. The point of tangency with the indifference curve and the capital allocation line.
B. The point of highest reward to variability ratio in the opportunity set.
C. The point of tangency with the opportunity set and the capital allocation line.
D. The point of the highest reward to variability ratio in the indifference curve.
E. None of the above.
The indifference curve represents what is acceptable to the investor; the capital allocation line
represents what is available in the market. The point of tangency represents where the investor
can obtain the greatest utility from what is available.
Difficulty: Moderate
43. In a two-security minimum variance portfolio where the correlation between securities is
greater than -1.0
A. the security with the higher standard deviation will be weighted more heavily.
B. the security with the higher standard deviation will be weighted less heavily.
C. the two securities will be equally weighted.
D. the risk will be zero.
E. the return will be zero.
The security with the higher standard deviation will be weighted less heavily to produce
minimum variance. The return will not be zero; the risk will not be zero unless the correlation
coefficient is -1.
Difficulty: Difficult
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49. Given an optimal risky portfolio with expected return of 14% and standard deviation of
22% and a risk free rate of 6%, what is the slope of the best feasible CAL?
A. 0.64
B. 0.14
C. 0.08
D. 0.33
E. 0.36
Slope = (14 - 6)/22 = .3636
Difficulty: Moderate
54. The standard deviation of a two-asset portfolio is a linear function of the assets' weights
when
A. the assets have a correlation coefficient less than zero.
B. the assets have a correlation coefficient equal to zero.
C. the assets have a correlation coefficient greater than zero.
D. the assets have a correlation coefficient equal to one.
E. the assets have a correlation coefficient less than one.
When there is a perfect positive correlation (or a perfect negative correlation), the equation for
the portfolio variance simplifies to a perfect square. The result is that the portfolio's standard
deviation is linear relative to the assets' weights in the portfolio.
Difficulty: Moderate
58. The separation property refers to the conclusion that
A. the determination of the best risky portfolio is objective and the choice of the best
complete portfolio is subjective.
B. the choice of the best complete portfolio is objective and the determination of the best risky
portfolio is objective.
C. the choice of inputs to be used to determine the efficient frontier is objective and the choice
of the best CAL is subjective.
D. the determination of the best CAL is objective and the choice of the inputs to be used to
determine the efficient frontier is subjective.
E. investors are separate beings and will therefore have different preferences regarding the
risk-return tradeoff.
The determination of the optimal risky portfolio is purely technical and can be done by a
manager. The complete portfolio, which consists of the optimal risky portfolio and the riskfree asset, must be chosen by each investor based on preferences.
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Difficulty: Difficult
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