Free CFA-Level-III Exam Braindumps (page: 30)

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Security analysts Andrew Tian, CFA, and Cameron Wong, CFA, are attending an investment symposium at the Singapore Investment Analyst Society. The focus of the symposium is capital market expectations and relative asset valuations across markets. Many highly-respected practitioners and academics from across the Asia- Pacific region are on hand to make presentations and participate in panel discussions.
The first presenter, Lillian So, President of the Society, speaks on market expectations and tools for estimating intrinsic valuations. She notes that analysts attempting to gauge expectations are often subject to various pitfalls that subjectively skew their estimates. She also points out that there are potential problems relating to a choice of models, not all of which describe risk the same way. She then provides the following data to illustrate how analysts might go about estimating expectations and intrinsic values.

The next speaker, Clive Smyth, is a member of the exchange rate committee at the Bank of New Zealand. His presentation concerns the links between spot currency rates and forecasted exchange rates. He states that foreign exchange rates are linked by several forces including purchasing power parity (PPP) and interest rate parity (IRP). He tells his audience that the relationship between exchange rates and PPP is strongest in the short run, while the relationship between exchange rates and IRP is strongest in the long run. Smyth goes on to say that when a country's economy becomes more integrated with the larger world economy, this can have a profound impact on the cost of capital and asset valuations in that country.

The final speaker in the session directed his discussion toward emerging market investments. This discussion, by Hector Ruiz, head of emerging market investment for the Chilean Investment Board, was primarily concerned with how emerging market risk differs from that in developed markets and how to evaluate the potential of emerging market investments. He noted that sometimes an economic crisis in one country can spread to other countries in the area, and that asset returns often exhibit a greater degree of non-normality than in developed markets.


Ruiz concluded his presentation with the data in the tables below to illustrate factors that should be considered during the decision-making process for portfolio managers who are evaluating investments in emerging markets.

Determine which of the following characteristics of emerging market debt investing presents the global fixed income portfolio manager with the best potential to generate enhanced returns.

  1. Increasing quality of emerging market sovereign debt coupled with the ability of emerging market governments to access global capital.
  2. The Emerging Markets Bond Index Pius (EMBI+) index is dominated by Latin American debt securities.
  3. Emerging market debt can be highly volatile with negatively skewed returns distributions.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

Although it is true that, in general, emerging market sovereign debt has increased in quality and emerging market governments have the ability to access global capital (e.g., World Bank), these generalities in and of themselves do not present any specific return-enhancing capabilities. Also, it is true that emerging market debt can be highly volatile with negatively-skewed returns distributions. This characteristic, however, presents an increased probability of low or negative returns (increased risk). Expected returns (prices) will compensate for the increased risk, but this again does not in and of itself present any specific return-enhancing capability. It is also true that the EMBI+ index is dominated by the debt securities of Latin American countries. Ordinarily an investor would not want to invest in a concentrated index, due to its lack of diversification. However, with such a concentrated index, the investor is faced with both unsystematic and systematic risk and, hence, an increased return potential. Thus, combining the index with a well-diversified portfolio of fixed income securities presents the global fixed income manager the potential to generate enhanced returns. (Study Session 12, LOS 36.a)



Security analysts Andrew Tian, CFA, and Cameron Wong, CFA, are attending an investment symposium at the Singapore Investment Analyst Society. The focus of the symposium is capital market expectations and relative asset valuations across markets. Many highly-respected practitioners and academics from across the Asia- Pacific region are on hand to make presentations and participate in panel discussions.
The first presenter, Lillian So, President of the Society, speaks on market expectations and tools for estimating intrinsic valuations. She notes that analysts attempting to gauge expectations are often subject to various pitfalls that subjectively skew their estimates. She also points out that there are potential problems relating to a choice of models, not all of which describe risk the same way. She then provides the following data to illustrate how analysts might go about estimating expectations and intrinsic values.

The next speaker, Clive Smyth, is a member of the exchange rate committee at the Bank of New Zealand. His presentation concerns the links between spot currency rates and forecasted exchange rates. He states that foreign exchange rates are linked by several forces including purchasing power parity (PPP) and interest rate parity (IRP). He tells his audience that the relationship between exchange rates and PPP is strongest in the short run, while the relationship between exchange rates and IRP is strongest in the long run. Smyth goes on to say that when a country's economy becomes more integrated with the larger world economy, this can have a profound impact on the cost of capital and asset valuations in that country.

The final speaker in the session directed his discussion toward emerging market investments. This discussion, by Hector Ruiz, head of emerging market investment for the Chilean Investment Board, was primarily concerned with how emerging market risk differs from that in developed markets and how to evaluate the potential of emerging market investments. He noted that sometimes an economic crisis in one country can spread to other countries in the area, and that asset returns often exhibit a greater degree of non-normality than in developed markets.


Ruiz concluded his presentation with the data in the tables below to illustrate factors that should be considered during the decision-making process for portfolio managers who are evaluating investments in emerging markets.

With regard to Ruiz's statements concerning emerging market risk, when an economic crisis spreads from one country to other countries in the area, this is known as:

  1. contagion, and non-normality of returns precludes the use of non-parametric models to estimate risk.
  2. contagion, and non-normality of returns makes it more difficult to estimate risk using parametric models.
  3. macro transmission, and non-normality of returns makes it more difficult to estimate risk using parametric models.

Answer(s): B

Explanation:

When an economic crisis, such as that which began in Thailand in 1997, spreads to other countries, this is known as contagion. The fact that emerging market asset returns may exhibit greater non-normality makes it more difficult to apply parametric models (e.g., those based upon the statistical concepts of mean and standard deviation). In such instances, the analyst should consider non-parametric approaches such as bootstrapping techniques and Monte Carlo simulation to estimate risk. (Study Session 6, LOS 23.k)



Security analysts Andrew Tian, CFA, and Cameron Wong, CFA, are attending an investment symposium at the Singapore Investment Analyst Society. The focus of the symposium is capital market expectations and relative asset valuations across markets. Many highly-respected practitioners and academics from across the Asia- Pacific region are on hand to make presentations and participate in panel discussions.
The first presenter, Lillian So, President of the Society, speaks on market expectations and tools for estimating intrinsic valuations. She notes that analysts attempting to gauge expectations are often subject to various pitfalls that subjectively skew their estimates. She also points out that there are potential problems relating to a choice of models, not all of which describe risk the same way. She then provides the following data to illustrate how analysts might go about estimating expectations and intrinsic values.

The next speaker, Clive Smyth, is a member of the exchange rate committee at the Bank of New Zealand. His presentation concerns the links between spot currency rates and forecasted exchange rates. He states that foreign exchange rates are linked by several forces including purchasing power parity (PPP) and interest rate parity (IRP). He tells his audience that the relationship between exchange rates and PPP is strongest in the short run, while the relationship between exchange rates and IRP is strongest in the long run. Smyth goes on to say that when a country's economy becomes more integrated with the larger world economy, this can have a profound impact on the cost of capital and asset valuations in that country.

The final speaker in the session directed his discussion toward emerging market investments. This discussion, by Hector Ruiz, head of emerging market investment for the Chilean Investment Board, was primarily concerned with how emerging market risk differs from that in developed markets and how to evaluate the potential of emerging market investments. He noted that sometimes an economic crisis in one country can spread to other countries in the area, and that asset returns often exhibit a greater degree of non-normality than in developed markets.


Ruiz concluded his presentation with the data in the tables below to illustrate factors that should be considered during the decision-making process for portfolio managers who are evaluating investments in emerging markets.

Based upon the data provided, which of the following statements is most correct?

  1. Brazil would be favored for equity investment.
  2. China would be favored for either equity or bond investment.
  3. Russia would be favored for bond investment.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

All else being equal, the economic statistics presented favor Russia over Brazil for hard currency bond investment. Russia has a relatively greater level of foreign exchange relative to short-term debt, implying that short term ability to pay is greater, and the overall indebtedness relative to GDP is lower.
While India and China each have the advantage in two of the four economic growth statistic categories, in aggregate, the statistics presented favor China for equity investment.
estimated long-term growth = population growth + labor force
participation growth + growth in capital spending + growth in total factor productivity estimated long-term growth for China: 0.8 + 1.8 + 1.3 + 0.9 = 4.8%
estimated long-term growth for India: 1.3 + 0.5 + 1.4 + 0.4 = 3.6%
In addition, China enjoys a relatively more favorable savings to investment balance, implying that the growth may be more sustainable. (Study Session 6, LOS 23.q)



Maurice Taylor, CFA, FRM, is responsible for managing risk in his firm's commodity portfolios. Taylor has extensive experience in the risk management field and as a result has been appointed the task of mentoring entry-level employees. Steven Jacobs is a newly hired Financial Analyst who has been assigned to research the company's risk management process. To verify the accuracy of his findings he consults Taylor. Taylor agrees to thoroughly review Jacobs* findings and volunteers to contribute his knowledge to enhance any part of the report that mentions Taylor's department.

A week later Jacobs, submits his report to his supervisor without reading Taylor's suggestions. Some excerpts from the report are as follows;
• "Many portfolio managers use a ratio that compares the average alpha to the standard deviation of alpha to measure risk-adjusted performance. This ratio can be used to rank their ability to generate excess returns on a consistent basis."
"The main difference between risk governance and risk budgeting is that risk governance is concerned with policies and standards, whereas risk budgeting is concerned with allocating risk."
• "In an ERM system individual portfolio managers are charged with measuring, managing, and monitoring their portfolio risk as well as determining their optimal amount of capital at risk. With this information upper management gains a better overall picture of the firm's risk."
• "The two general categories of risk are financial and non-financial risks. Financial risks include market risk and credit risk. Non-financial risks include settlement risk, regulatory risk, model risk, liquidity risk, operations risk, and political risk."
Jacobs' supervisor thanks him for the report and assigns him the next task of researching the firm's VAR calculation methodologies. His supervisor is wondering if the firm should switch to the Monte Carlo Method from the Historical Method. Jacobs again decides to consult Taylor for his expertise. Taylor agrees that using the Monte Carlo Method would be useful since it incorporates returns distributions rather than single point estimates of risk and return- This may be appropriate for Taylor's portfolios since commodity returns can exhibit skewed distributions. Taylor, however, informs Jacobs that there are also advantages to using historical VAR including that it is based on modern portfolio theory (MPT).
Jacobs uses the firm's small cap value portfolio to illustrate the calculation of VAR. The value of the portfolio is $140 million and it has an annual expected return of 12.10%. The annual standard deviation of returns is 18.20%. Assuming a standard normal distribution, 5% of the potential portfolio values are more than 1.65 standard deviations below the expected return.
Jacobs completes his research report on VAR by adding an appendix section on extensions of VAR. He states that one extension that can be particularly valuable in risk management measures the impact of a single asset on the portfolio VAR. This measure captures the effects of the correlations of the individual assets on the overall portfolio VAR.
In the first statement in his research report, Jacobs is most likely describing the:

  1. Sortino ratio.
  2. RoMAD ratio.
  3. information ratio.

Answer(s): C

Explanation:

The information ratio is calculated as average excess return (alpha) divided by the standard deviation of alpha (a.k.a. tracking error, active risk, or tracking risk). The information ratio shows nor only the managers ability to generate alpha, but his or her ability to consistently generate alpha. The greater the volatility of alpha compared to the average alpha, the less consistent the manager's performance. That is, as the information ratio decreases, the distribution of the manager's alpha increases (i.e., widens) relative to his average alpha. As the distribution of alpha increases the probability of a zero or negative alpha in any single measurement period increases. A higher information ratio, therefore, generally indicates a superior ability to consistently generate alpha over time. (Study Session 17, LOS 47.p)






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