Reading 49: The Asset Allocation Decision LOS e习题精选 2010, allocation, political, percentage, countries

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LOS e: Describe the importance of asset allocation in terms of the percentage of a portfolio’s return that can be explained by the target asset allocation, and explain how political and economic factors result in differing asset allocations by investors in various countries.

The manager of the Fullen Balanced Fund is putting together a report that breaks out the percentage of the variation in portfolio return that is explained by the target asset allocation, security selection, and tactical variations from the target, respectively. Which of the following sets of numbers was the most likely conclusion for the report?

A) 90%, 6%, 4%.

B) 50%, 25%, 25%.

C) 33%, 33%, 33%.

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Several studies support the idea that approximately 90% of the variation in a single portfolio’s returns can be explained by its target asset allocations, with security selection and tactical variations from the target (market timing) playing a much less significant role. In fact, for actively managed funds, actual portfolio returns are slightly less than those that would have been achieved if the manager strictly maintained the target allocation, thus illustrating the difficultly of improving returns through security selection or market timing.

 

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David Hoch, a graduate student, is putting together a research paper on differences in asset allocations between countries. Hoch’s paper contains the following statements:

Statement 1:	Countries with higher income tax rates typically have lower allocations to bonds.
Statement 2:	Countries with older populations typically have lower allocations to equities.
Statement 3:	A strong government pension program may decrease the average equity allocation of a country’s citizens.
Statement 4:	Countries with a historical aversion to financial risk typically have lower allocations to equities.

Hoch’s finance professor, Walter Denk, reads his research paper. Which of the following conclusions would be most valid for Denk to make?

A) Both Statements 1 and 4 reflect common reasons why average asset allocations differ across countries.

B) Statement 3 reflects a common reason why average asset allocations differ across countries, but Statement 1 does not.

C) Statement 2 reflects a common reason why average asset allocations differ across countries, but Statement 3 does not.

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Average asset allocations differ across countries for reasons related to demographics, social factors, legal constraints, and taxation. Each of the four statements made by Hoch are an example of one of these factors, therefore all four of the statements reflect common reasons why average asset allocations differ across countries.

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Which of the following have studies shown has the greatest impact on the return of a portfolio?

A) Target asset allocation.

B) Market timing.

C) Security selection.

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Several studies support the idea that approximately 40% of the variation in returns across portfolios, and approximately 90% of the variation in a single portfolio’s returns, can be explained by target asset allocations. Security selection and market timing are all less important factors.