#1
Which of the following measures the total risk of a security within a diversified portfolio?
Standard deviation
ExplanationStandard deviation measures the dispersion of returns from the mean return and thus indicates the total risk.
#2
The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is used to determine:
Expected return on a security
ExplanationCAPM helps in estimating the expected return on an investment based on its risk and the market's return.
#3
What does the term 'beta' represent in portfolio management?
The measure of a security's volatility in relation to the market
ExplanationBeta measures the volatility of a security in relation to the market; a beta greater than 1 indicates higher volatility than the market, and vice versa.
#4
Which of the following is NOT a type of risk in portfolio management?
Dividend risk
ExplanationDividend risk is not a recognized type of risk in portfolio management; common risks include market risk, credit risk, and liquidity risk.
#5
What is the primary objective of portfolio diversification?
To decrease risk
ExplanationPortfolio diversification aims to reduce risk by investing in a variety of assets with non-correlated returns, thus minimizing the impact of individual asset performance on the overall portfolio.
#6
Which of the following is a measure of systematic risk?
Beta
ExplanationBeta measures the sensitivity of a security's returns to movements in the overall market; it represents systematic risk.
#7
Which of the following statements is true regarding the risk-return relationship?
Higher risk may result in higher returns, but it also increases the chance of losses
ExplanationThe risk-return relationship states that higher risk investments generally have the potential for higher returns, but also carry a greater risk of loss.
#8
The Sharpe ratio measures the relationship between:
Excess return and total risk
ExplanationSharpe ratio evaluates the return of an investment compared to its risk, specifically focusing on excess return relative to total risk.
#9
What is the term used to describe the reduction of risk achieved by combining different assets in a portfolio?
Diversification
ExplanationDiversification reduces risk by spreading investments across different assets, thereby reducing the impact of any single asset's performance on the overall portfolio.
#10
Which of the following is NOT a component of the Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT)?
Arbitrage pricing
ExplanationArbitrage pricing theory is a separate financial theory distinct from the Modern Portfolio Theory.
#11
The term 'alpha' in portfolio management refers to:
The excess return of a security relative to its expected return based on its risk
ExplanationAlpha measures the performance of an investment relative to its benchmark, after adjusting for risk; positive alpha indicates outperformance.
#12
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of risk-adjusted return?
It is the return earned on an investment adjusted for its level of risk
ExplanationRisk-adjusted return accounts for the riskiness of an investment, enabling comparison between investments with different risk levels by standardizing returns.
#13
Which of the following is NOT a factor affecting the risk of a security?
Company-specific events
ExplanationCompany-specific events are idiosyncratic risks which do not affect the overall market risk.
#14
The Treynor ratio measures the relationship between a security's excess return and its:
Total risk
ExplanationThe Treynor ratio assesses the risk-adjusted return by comparing the excess return of a portfolio to its systematic risk, often measured by beta.
#15
What is the term used to describe the extent to which two assets move in relation to each other?
Correlation
ExplanationCorrelation measures the degree to which the movements of two assets are related; a correlation of +1 indicates perfect positive correlation, -1 indicates perfect negative correlation, and 0 indicates no correlation.
#16
What does the Sharpe ratio measure in portfolio management?
The ratio of excess return to total risk
ExplanationSharpe ratio evaluates the performance of an investment by measuring its risk-adjusted return, specifically the excess return earned per unit of total risk.
#17
Which of the following statements best describes the concept of a 'black swan' event?
An unpredictable event with extreme consequences
ExplanationA black swan event refers to an unforeseen event that has a significant impact and is often rationalized in hindsight, highlighting the limitations of traditional forecasting models.