Reading 43: Evaluating Portfolio Performance－LOS g involved, custom

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CFA Institute Area 3-5, 7, 12, 14-18: Portfolio Management
Session 16: Performance Evaluation and Attribution
Reading 43: Evaluating Portfolio Performance
LOS g: Summarize the steps involved in constructing a custom security-based benchmark.

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Which of the following statements best describes the steps required to construct a custom security-based benchmark?

A) Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting; use the same assets and weighting for the benchmark; assess and rebalance the benchmark on an ad-hoc basis.

B) Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting; use the same assets and weighting for the benchmark; assess and rebalance the benchmark on a predetermined schedule.

C) Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting; use representative assets and long run average weightings for the benchmark; assess and rebalance the benchmark on a predetermined schedule.

D) Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting; use the same assets as the manager and the long run average weighting for the benchmark; assess and rebalance the benchmark on a predetermined schedule.

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Answer and Explanation

The three steps required to construct a custom security-based benchmark are as follows:

1. Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting.
2. Use the same assets and weighting for the benchmark.
3. Assess and rebalance the benchmark on a predetermined schedule.

1. Identify the managers investment process including asset selection and weighting.
2. Use the same assets and weighting for the benchmark.
3. Assess and rebalance the benchmark on a predetermined schedule.

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Which of the following is least likely to be a step in the construction of a custom security-based benchmark?

A) Calculate the historical mean and standard deviation for the benchmark.

B) Identify the managers investment process.

C) Use the same weights for the benchmark as the manager.

D) Assess the portfolio on a periodic basis.

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Answer and Explanation

Although calculating the historical mean and standard deviation for the benchmark is something that many portfolio managers will do, it is not specified as one of the steps in the construction of a custom security-based benchmark.

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Which of the following is least likely to be a step in the construction of a custom security-based benchmark?

A) Identify the managers asset weightings.

B) Minimize misfit risk for the benchmark.

C) Use the same assets for the benchmark as the manager.

D) Rebalance the portfolio on a periodic basis.

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Answer and Explanation

Misfit risk results from differences between the managers normal portfolio and the broader asset class benchmark. In a custom security-based benchmark, there will be and should be misfit risk if the managers style is different than the broad market and if the custom benchmark accurately reflects the managers style.