Lesson

Beta measures a security's volatility relative to the overall market. Beta is used in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) to calculate the expected return of an asset based on its risk relative to the market. A beta of 1 indicates that the security's price moves with the market, a beta greater than 1 indicates that the security is more volatile than the market, and a beta less than 1 indicates that the security is less volatile than the market.

Practice Question #1

What does a beta of 1 indicate about a security's volatility?

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Terms

Beta:
A measure of a security's volatility in relation to the overall market.
Volatility:
The degree of variation in a security's price over time.
Market Risk:
The risk that arises from fluctuations in the overall market.
Systematic Risk:
The risk affecting the entire or large market segment.
Unsystematic Risk:
The risk specific to an individual security or company.
Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM):
A model used to calculate the expected return of an asset based on its risk relative to the market.
Risk-Free Rate:
The return on an investment with no risk, such as a government bond.

Practice Question #2

Which type of risk can be reduced through diversification?

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Do Not Confuse With

Alpha:
A measure of an investment's performance relative to its benchmark or market index.

Practice Question #3

In the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), what is used to calculate the expected return of an asset?

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Historical Example

In the 2008 financial crisis, many stocks experienced high levels of volatility, leading to increased beta values. Investors who had diversified portfolios with a mix of high and low beta stocks were better able to weather the storm, as their low beta stocks provided some stability during the market downturn.

Practice Question #4

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Real-World Example

An investor is considering adding a technology stock to their portfolio. The stock has a beta of 1.5, indicating that it is more volatile than the overall market. If the investor is looking to reduce their portfolio's overall risk, they may want to consider a stock with a lower beta.

Practice Question #5

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Practice Question #10

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