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Risk & Returns Unit 4
Risk & Returns Unit 4
Risk can be defined as the Probability that the expected return from the security
will not materialize. Every investment involves uncertainties that make future
investment return risk-prone. Uncertainties could arise due to the political,
economical and industry factors.
CAUSES OF RISK
TYPES OF RISK
Higher Potential Returns: Generally, investments with higher risk have the potential
to generate higher returns. Risk and return are often positively correlated.
Innovation and Growth: Risk-taking is essential for innovation and economic growth.
Entrepreneurs and businesses that take calculated risks by investing in new ideas,
products, or technologies.
Learning and Adaptation: Embracing risk can lead to valuable learning experiences
and personal growth. By stepping outside of comfort zones and confronting challenges.
Competitive Advantage: Businesses that effectively manage and mitigate risks can
gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Opportunity Identification: Risk-taking enables individuals and organizations to
identify and capitalize on opportunities that others may overlook.
DE-MERITS OF RISK
Losses and Financial Hardship: Investments with higher risk levels carry a greater
chance of losing money, which can lead to financial hardship for individuals,
businesses, and investors.
Uncertainty and Anxiety: Risk introduces uncertainty and unpredictability into
decision-making processes. This uncertainty can create anxiety and stress for
individuals and organizations.
Reputation Damage: Failed risk-taking endeavors can damage the reputation and
credibility of individuals, businesses, and institutions.
Overconfidence and Hubris: Excessive risk-taking can foster overconfidence and
hubris, leading individuals or organizations to underestimate potential risks and
overestimate their abilities to manage them.
Debt and Leverage Risks: Borrowing money or using leverage to finance investments
can amplify both potential gains and losses.
MEANING OF RETURNS
Total Return: The overall gain or loss on an investment over a specified period,
considering all sources of income and changes in the investment's value.
Annualized Return: The average annual return on an investment over a specific
period, calculated to provide a standardized measure of performance.
Percentage Return: The return expressed as a percentage of the initial investment
amount.
Real Return: The return adjusted for inflation, reflecting the purchasing power of
the investment's gains or losses.
COMPONENTS OF RETURNS
Meaning :
Systematic risk refers to the risk inherent to the entire market or market
segment. Systematic risk, also known as undiversifiable risk, volatility risk, or
market risk, affects the overall market, not just a particular stock or industry.
Advantages of Systematic Risk :
3}Operational risk
IMPORTANCE OF UNSYSTEMATIC RISK
Understanding unsystematic risk is essential for successful
investing, as it allows investors to make informed decisions about
asset allocation, risk management, and investment strategies.
Investors should recognize the importance of managing
unsystematic risk through diversification, due diligence, and active
portfolio management.
ADVANTAGES OF UNSYSTEMATIC RISK
1}This risk relates to only a particular company or industry and not the
overall economy.
2}The factors that lead to risk are internal. Therefore internal monitoring
and measures can help avoid or minimize the risk.
• The systematic portion results from • The unsystematic portion results from
overall market influences. company and industry influences.
• Examples of such industries are • The electricity and power industries may
foodstuffs, toys, and telephones. be pointed out as suitable example of
portraying unsystematic risk.
Systematic Risk
Systematic risk, also called aggregate risk or market risk, refers to the unavoidable risks
that could affect a financial market and cause the values and prices of investments to
change. Because economic conditions rely on a variety of factors like politics,
regulations, purchasing power and employment, economists are typically aware of the
constant threats to all securities. Systematic risk is a term economists use to describe
this intrinsic vulnerability of financial markets.
Systematic risk is dependent on market structure and the dynamics that may result in
shocks or uncertainty in an entire market. These shocks can originate from a variety of
sources like the international economy, government policy mandates or acts of nature.
To qualify as systematic, it's essential that these events impact the entire market.
Types Of Systematic Risk
Systematic Risk
Unsystematic Risk
Business Risk/Liquidity
Risk
Non-
Exchange Recovery Credit Sovereign Settlement
Directional
Rate Risk Rate Risk Event Risk Risk Risk
Risk
A}Exchange Rate Risk: Exchange rate risk is also called as exposure
rate risk. It is a form of financial risk that arises from a potential change
seen in the exchange rate of one country's currency in relation to
another country's currency and vice-versa.
For e.g. investors or businesses face it either when they have assets or
operations across national borders, if they have loans or borrowings in
a foreign currency. In other words, all investors who invest
internationally in today's increasingly global investment arena face the
prospect of uncertainty in the returns after the convert the foreign gains
back to their own currency.
▶ Regulation risk – the risk that a change to the laws or regulations will hurt a
business or investment by affecting that business, sector, or market.
▶ Bull Bear Market risk – A bull market occurs when securities are on the rise,
while a bear market occurs when securities fall for a sustained period of
time
▶ Management risk - The risk—financial, ethical, or otherwise—
associated with ineffective, destructive, or underperforming management.
▶ Default risk - Also called default probability, is the probability that a
borrower fails to make full and timely payments of principal and interest,
according to the terms of the debt security involved.
▶ Industry risk – the factors that can impact (both positively and negatively)
a particular industry, which can in turn affect companies within the sector.
▶ Liquidity risk – The risk of loss resulting from the inability to meet payment obligations in
full and on time when they become due.
▶ Country risk – The uncertainty associated with investing in a particular country, and more
specifically the degree to which that uncertainty could lead to losses for investors.
▶ Foreign exchange risk – The chance that a company will lose money on
international trade because of currency fluctuations.
▶ Interest rate risk - The probability of a decline in the value of an asset resulting from
unexpected fluctuations in interest rates
PORTFOLIO RISK AND RETURN
CONCEPTS
MEANING OF PORTFOLIO RISK
Portfolio returns offer several advantages for investors:
Performance Evaluation: Portfolio returns provide a quantitative measure of how well an
investment portfolio is performing over a specific period. By comparing returns to
benchmarks or targets, investors can assess whether their investment strategy is meeting
their objectives.
Decision Making: Understanding portfolio returns helps investors make informed
decisions about asset allocation, diversification, and risk management. By analyzing
historical returns, investors can identify which assets contribute most to performance and
adjust their portfolio accordingly.
Goal Tracking: Portfolio returns enable investors to track their progress toward financial
goals. Whether it's saving for retirement, education, or other objectives, monitoring returns
helps investors stay on track and make any necessary adjustments to achieve their goals.
Risk Management: Assessing portfolio returns allows investors to evaluate the risk-adjusted
performance of their investments. By considering both returns and risk metrics such as volatility,
investors can better understand the trade-offs between risk and return in their portfolios.
Performance Attribution: Portfolio returns help investors understand the drivers of
performance. By analyzing the contributions of individual assets or asset classes to overall
returns, investors can identify sources of outperformance or underperformance and adjust their
investment strategy accordingly.
Communication: Portfolio returns provide a common language for discussing investment
performance among investors, financial advisors, and other stakeholders. Whether reporting to
clients, stakeholders, or regulatory authorities, portfolio returns serve as a standardized measure
of investment performance.
Overall, portfolio returns play a critical role in investment decision-making, goal tracking, risk
management, and performance evaluation, helping investors make informed choices and achieve
their financial objectives.
DISADVANTAGES
While portfolio returns offer valuable insights for investors, they also come with some disadvantages:
Incomplete Picture: Portfolio returns provide a summary of overall performance but may not capture the
full complexity of an investment portfolio. They may overlook factors such as transaction costs, taxes, and
other expenses, which can significantly impact net returns.
Short-Term Focus: Portfolio returns are typically calculated over specific time periods, such as daily,
monthly, or annually. This short-term focus may lead investors to make decisions based on temporary
fluctuations in performance rather than long-term investment fundamentals.
Benchmarking Challenges: Comparing portfolio returns to benchmarks or peer groups can be
challenging due to differences in investment objectives, asset allocation, and risk profiles. A portfolio may
outperform its benchmark in one period but underperform in another, making it difficult to assess
consistent performance.
Volatility: Portfolio returns can be volatile, especially for portfolios with a high allocation to risky assets
such as stocks or commodities. While volatility is a natural part of investing, it can be unsettling for
investors who are not prepared for fluctuations in their portfolio's value.
Risk-Return Trade-off: Portfolio returns do not provide a complete picture of risk. Two
portfolios with the same returns may have different levels of risk, depending on factors such as
volatility, correlation, and downside protection. Ignoring risk can lead investors to overlook the
true risk-return trade-off in their portfolios.
Behavioral Biases: Investors may exhibit behavioral biases when interpreting portfolio returns,
such as overreacting to short-term performance or chasing past winners. These biases can lead
to suboptimal investment decisions and undermine long-term performance.
Lack of Context: Portfolio returns alone may lack context without considering factors such as
investment objectives, time horizon, and investor preferences. A high return may be desirable,
but it's essential to consider whether it aligns with the investor's goals and risk tolerance.
Overall, while portfolio returns provide valuable information for investors, it's essential to
consider their limitations and use them in conjunction with other measures to make informed
investment decisions.
IMPORTANCE/SCOPE/BENIFITS
Portfolio returns are crucial for several reasons:
Performance Evaluation: Portfolio returns serve as a primary measure of how well an investment
portfolio is performing. Investors can compare returns to benchmarks, targets, or peer groups to assess
whether their investment strategy is meeting expectations.
Goal Tracking: By monitoring portfolio returns, investors can track their progress toward financial
goals such as retirement, education funding, or wealth accumulation. Returns help investors gauge
whether they are on track to achieve their objectives over time.
Decision Making: Understanding portfolio returns informs investment decisions such as asset
allocation, diversification, and risk management. Investors can adjust their portfolios based on
performance data to optimize returns while managing risk according to their investment objectives and
risk tolerance.
Risk Assessment: Portfolio returns provide insights into the risk-adjusted performance of investments.
Investors can evaluate whether the returns adequately compensate for the level of risk taken, helping to
ensure a balanced risk-return profile in the portfolio.
Performance Attribution: Analyzing portfolio returns allows investors to identify the drivers of
performance. By assessing the contributions of individual assets or asset classes to overall returns,
investors can make informed decisions about portfolio rebalancing or adjusting their investment
strategy.
Communication: Portfolio returns serve as a standardized metric for communicating investment
performance to stakeholders such as clients, partners, or regulatory authorities. Clear reporting of
returns facilitates transparency and accountability in investment management.
Continuous Improvement: Regularly monitoring portfolio returns enables investors to learn from
past performance and refine their investment approach over time. By identifying areas of strength and
weakness, investors can adapt their strategies to enhance future returns and achieve better outcomes.
Overall, portfolio returns play a vital role in guiding investment decisions, tracking progress toward
financial goals, assessing risk, and communicating performance to stakeholders. By understanding
and leveraging portfolio returns effectively, investors can optimize their investment portfolios and
work toward achieving long-term financial success.
TYPES
It's important to remember that expected returns are estimates and not guarantees. Actual
returns may vary due to unforeseen events, changes in market conditions, and other factors.
Importantly, investors should consider the level of risk associated with their portfolio when
estimating expected returns, as higher expected returns generally come with higher levels
of risk.
TYPES OF PORTFOLIO RETURNS.
Total Portfolio Return: This represents the overall return generated by a portfolio over
a specific period, & may include Gains or Losses.
Realized Return: Realized returns are the actual gains or losses realized by selling
assets within the portfolio & will Reflect in the evaluation of performance.
Unrealized Return: Unrealized returns, also known as paper returns, represent the
gains or losses on assets that have not been sold & will not reflect in the evaluation.
Absolute Return: Absolute return measures the total return of a portfolio without
comparing it to any benchmark or index.
Relative Return: Relative return will also measure the total returns but by comparing
the performance of a portfolio to a benchmark or index.
FORMULA TO CALCULATE EXPECTED RETURNS
OF PORTFOLIO.
The expected return of a portfolio can be calculated using a weighted average of the
expected returns of its individual assets.