Extreme Events – Specimen Question A.5.1
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You are an asset allocator selecting between five different
asset categories A1 to A5 using mean-variance optimisation. Your expected
future returns, standard deviations of returns and correlations for the asset
categories are as follows:
 
 
  |   |   |   | Expected correlation
  coefficients | 
 
  |   | Expected return (%pa) | Expected standard
  deviation (%pa) | A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | 
 
  | A1 | 3.0 | 2 | 1 |   |   |   |   | 
 
  | A2 | 5.0 | 4 | 0.4 | 1 |   |   |   | 
 
  | A3 | 6.0 | 8 | -0.6 | -0.5 | 1 |   |   | 
 
  | A4 | 7.0 | 14 | 0.0 | -0.4 | 0.2 | 1 |   | 
 
  | A5 | 7.5 | 15 | -0.4 | -0.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1 | 
 
(a)    Plot the
efficient frontier and the asset mixes making up the points along the efficient
frontier, assuming that risk-free is to be equated with zero volatility of
return and that no non-negative holdings are allowed for any asset category.
 
Answer/Hints
 
(b)   Show how the efficient
frontier and the asset mixes making up the points along the efficient frontier
would alter if risk-free is equated with 50% in Asset A1 and 50% in Asset A2.
 
Answer/Hints
 
(c)    In what
circumstances might a mixed minimum risk portfolio as per (b) apply? Give
examples of the types of asset that might then be A1 and A2.
 
Answer/Hints
 
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