Question

A portfolio manager has maintained an actively managed portfolio with a beta of 0.2. During the last year the risk-free rate was 5% and equities performed very badly providing a return of −30%. The portfolio manage produced a return of −10% and claims that in the circumstances it was good.

Answer 1

Answer: See explanation

Explanation:

The formula to use here will be:

required rate = risk free rate + beta × (market return - risk free rate).

where,

risk free rate = 5%

beta =0.20.

market return = -30%.

Therefore,

required return = 5% + 0.20 × (-30% + -5%)

= 5% + 0.2(-35%)

= 5% - 7%

= -2%

Therefore, the return on portfolio should have been -2% but the portfolio manager produced a return of −10%

Since -10% is lower than -2%, we can deduce that the claim of the manager is wrong.