CHAPTER 2—RISK AND RETURN: PART I
104. Suppose that Federal Reserve actions have caused an increase in the risk-free rate, rRF. Meanwhile, investors are
afraid of a recession, so the market risk premium, (rM − rRF), has increased. Under these conditions, with other things held
constant, which of the following statements is most correct?
The required return on all stocks would increase, but the increase would be greatest for stocks with betas of
less than 1.0.
Stocks’ required returns would change, but so would expected returns, and the result would be no change in
stocks’ prices.
The prices of all stocks would decline, but the decline would be greatest for high-beta stocks.
The prices of all stocks would increase, but the increase would be greatest for high-beta stocks.
The required return on all stocks would increase by the same amount.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – AK – DISC: Risk and return
United States – OH – Default City – TBA
TYPE: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
105. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
The slope of the Security Market Line is beta.
Any stock with a negative beta must in theory have a negative required rate of return, provided rRF is positive.
If a stock’s beta doubles, its required rate of return must also double.
If a stock’s returns are negatively correlated with returns on most other stocks, the stock’s beta will be
negative.
If a stock has a beta of to 1.0, its required rate of return will be unaffected by changes in the market risk
premium.
United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
United States – AK – DISC: Risk and return
United States – OH – Default City – TBA
TYPE: Multiple Choice: Conceptual
106. Assume that investors have recently become more risk averse, so the market risk premium has increased. Also,
assume that the risk-free rate and expected inflation have not changed. Which of the following is most likely to occur?
The required rate of return will decline for stocks whose betas are less than 1.0.
The required rate of return on the market, rM, will not change as a result of these changes.