Question

Some advocates of behavioral finance agree with efficient market advocates that indexing is theoptimal investment strategy for most investors. But their reasons for this conclusion differ greatly.Compare and contrast the rationale for indexing according to both of these schools of thought.

Answer 1

Answer:

Advocates of the efficient market is of the belief that information that is made available publicly is usually reflected in security prices and thus adjustments in price to new information will occur swiftly. Hence, under the EMH, there are no guarantees on the prices of the stock market and thus no investment rules that can bring superior returns. In this light, investors would rather not deviate from the market index.

On the other hand, advocates of behavioral finance is of the belief that biases in behavior is capable of causing stock market prices to be inefficient. Hence making the investors to believe that a deviation from the market portfolio would be advantageous although the level of risk may be high.

Explanation: