Exercise chapter 6:

Ex.6. Draw the indifference curve in the expected return–standard deviation plane
corresponding to a utility level of .05 for an investor with a risk aversion coefficient of 3.
( Hint: Choose several possible standard deviations, ranging from 0 to .25, and find the
expected rates of return providing a utility level of .05. Then plot the expected return–
standard deviation points so derived.)
Answer:
Let the points (portfolios) on the indifference curve in the standard deviation-expected
return plane corresponding to a utility of 0.05 and having a risk aversion coefficient of 3
be points (portfolios) A, B, C, D, E, F.
1 1
Set U A = U B = U C = U D = U E = U F = U = E(r) - Aσ 2  E(r) = U + Aσ 2
2 2

Set U = 0.05 and A = 3; provide standard deviations ranging from 0 to 0.25, find E(r):
Portfol
io E(r) σ U
A 0.05 0 0.05
0.053
B 75 0.05 0.05
C 0.065 0.1 0.05
D 0.08375 0.15 0.05
E 0.11 0.2 0.05
F 0.14375 0.25 0.05
Draw the indifference curve:

Use these inputs for Problems 13 through 19: You manage a risky portfolio with
expected rate of return of 18% and standard deviation of 28%. The T-bill rate is 8%
E(r p ) = 18%
E(r f ) = 8%
Ex.14. Suppose that your risky portfolio included the following investments in the given
porportions:
Stock A: 27 percent
Stock B: 33 percent
Stock C: 40 percent
What are the investment proportions of your client’s overall portfolio, including the
position in T-bills?
Answer:
Since portfolio c is 70 percent invested in p, this means:
0,7 × 0,25 = 18% in Stock A,
0,7 × 0,32 = 22% in Stock B,
0,7 × 0,43 = 30% in Stock C.
The fraction invested in T-bills is 30%.
Ex.16. Draw the CAL of your portfolio on an expected return-standard deviation
diagram. What is the slope of the CAL? Show the position of your client’s portfolio on
you fund’s CAL.
Answer:
The slope of the CAL is 35,7 % (follow Ex.15.). The client’s portfolio is the one providing
an expected return of E(r c ) and a standard deviation σ c.
Draw the CAL:
Ex.18. Suppose that your client prefers to invest in your fund a proportion y that
maximizes the expected return on the overall portfolio subject to the constraint that the
overall portfolio’s standard deviation will not exceed 18 percent.
a. What is the investment proportion, y ?
b. What is the expected rate of return on the complete portfolio?
Answer:
a. Since expected return increases linearly with risk, the standard deviation of your
client’s portfolio return has to be 18% in order to be maximizing its expected return.
Hence the proportion y is found using:
σ C 0,18
σ C = y. σ p  y = = = 64,3%.
σ p 0,28

b. The expected rate of return is:

CFA
2. On the basis of the utility formula above, which investment would you select if you
were risk neutral?
Answer: When investors are risk neutral, then A = 0; the investment with the highest
utility is Investment 4 because it has the highest expected return.
4. Which indifference curve represents the greatest level of utility that can be achieved by
the investor?
Answer: Indifference curve 2
6. Given $100,000 to invest, what is the expected risk premium in dollars of investing in
equities versus risk-free T-bills on the basis of the following table?

Answer:
The expected risk premium in dollars of investing in equities versus risk-free T-bills is:
(0,6.$50000) + [0,4.(-$30000)] - $5000 = $13,000
8. You manage an equity fund with an expected risk premium of 10% and an expected
standard deviation of 14%. The rate on Treasury bills is 6%. Your client chooses to invest
$60,000 of her portfolio in your equity fund and $40,000 in a T-bill money market fund.
What is the expected return and standard deviation of return on your client’s portfolio?
Answer:
Expected return for equity fund = T-bill rate + risk premium = 6% + 10% = 16%
Expected return of client’s overall portfolio = (0,6.16%) + (0,4.6%) = 12%
Standard deviation of client’s overall portfolio: σ C = y. σ p = 0,6.14% = 8,4%.