Yes, there is a positive correlation (a relationship between two variables in which both move in the same direction) between risk and return—with one important 🐬caveat. There is no guarantee that taking greater risk rꦆesults in a greater return. Rather, taking greater risk may result in the loss of a larger amount of capital.
A more correct statement may be that there is a positive correlation between the amount of risk and the potential for return. Generally, a lower risk investment has a lowe🐲r potential for profit. A higher risk investment has a higher potential for profit but also a potential for a greater loss.
key takeaways
- A positive correlation exists between risk and return: the greater the risk, the higher the potential for profit or loss.
- Using the risk-reward tradeoff principle, low levels of uncertainty (risk) are associated with low returns and high levels of uncertainty with high returns.
- An investor needs to understand his individual risk tolerance when constructing a portfolio.
Risk and Investments
The risk associated with investments can be thought of as lying along a spectrum. On the low-risk end, there are short-term 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:government bonds with low yields. The middle of the spectrum may contain investments such as rental property or high-yield debt. On the high-risk end of the spectrum are equity investments, futures and commodity contracts, including options.
Investments with different levels of risk are often placed together in a portfolio to maximize returns while minimizing the possibility of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:volatility and loss. 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Modern portfolio theory (MPT) uses statistical techniques to determine an 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:efficient frontier that results in the lowest risk for a given 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:rate of return. Using the concepts of this theory, assets are combined in a portfolio based on statistical measurements such as 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:standard deviation and correlation.
The Risk-Return Tradeoff
The correlation between the hazards one runs in investing and the performance of investments is known as the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:risk-return tradeoff. The risk-return tradeoff states the higher the risk, the higher the reward—and vice versa. Using this principle, low levels of uncertainty (risk) are associated with low potentia🍸l returns and high levels of uncertainty with high potential returns. According to the risk-return tradeoff, invested money can render higher profits only if the investor will accept a higher possibility of losses.
Investors consider the risk-return tradeoff as one of the essenti🅰al components of d꧃ecision-making. They also use it to assess their portfolios as a whole.
Risk Tolerance
An investor needs to understand his individual 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:risk tolerance when constructing a portfolio of assets. Risk tolerance varies among investor𓆉s. Factors that impact 🌟risk tolerance may include:
- the amount of time remaining until retirement
- the size of the portfolio
- future earnings potential
- ability to replace lost funds
- the presence of other types of assets: equity in a home, a pension plan, an insurance policy
Managing Risk and Return
Formulas, strܫategies, and algorithms abound that are dedꦡicated to analyzing and attempting to quantify the relationship between risk and return.
澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Roy's safety-first criterion, also known as the SFRatio, is an approach to investment decisions that sets a minimum required return for a given level of risk. Its formula provides a probability of getting a minimum-required return on a portfolio; an investor's optimal decision is to choose the portfolio with the hi꧃ghest SFRatio.
Another popular measure is the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Sharpe ratio. This calculation compares an asset's, fund's, or portfolio's retur🔥n to the performance of a risk-free investment, most commonly the thꦉree-month U.S. Treasury bill. The greater the Sharpe ratio, the better the risk-adjusted performance.