Consider the following information for stocks A, B, and C. The returns on the three stocks are positively correlated, but they are not perfectly correlated. (That is, each of the correlation coefficients is between 0 and 1.)
Stock Expected Return Standard Deviation Beta
A 8.60% 14% 0.8
B 9.95 14 1.1
C 11.75 14 1.5
Fund P has one-third of its funds invested in each of the three stocks. The risk-free rate is 5%, and the market is in equilibrium. (That is, required returns equal expected returns.)
Required:
a. What is the market risk premium?
b. What is the beta of Fund P?
c. What is the required return of Fund P?
d. Would you expect the standard deviation of Fund P to be less than 15%, equal to 15% or greater than 15%? Explain.