You estimate that a passive portfolio invested to mimic the S&P500 index yields an expected rate of return of 13% with a standard deviation of 25%. Suppose that your risk aversion coefficient A=2 and the risk-free rate is 5%. What is your optimal allocation y to the index portfolio? Suppose that another investor has a risk aversion coefficient A > 2. Will this investor place more or less allocation to the index portfolio than you?

Alandowner entered into a written agreement with a real estate broker whereby the broker would receive a commission of 10% of the sale price if he procured a "ready, willing, and able buyer" for the landowner's property and if the sale actually proceeded through closing. the broker found a buyer who agreed in writing to buy the property from the landowner for $100,000, the landowner's asking price. the buyer put up $6,000 as a down payment. the agreement between the landowner and the buyer contained a liquidated damages clause providing that, if the buyer defaulted by failing to tender the balance due of $94,000 at the closing date, damages would be 10% of the purchase price. the landowner included that clause because she was counting on using the proceeds of the sale for a business venture that would likely net her at least $10,000. the buyer became seriously ill and defaulted. when he recovered, he demanded that the landowner return his $6,000, and the landowner refused. the broker also demanded the $6,000 from the landowner and was refused. the broker and the buyer filed separate suits against the landowner, with the buyer pleading impossibility of performance. the two cases are consolidated into a single case. how should the court rule as to the disposition of the $6,000?

After the 2008 recession, the amount of reserves in the us banking system increased. because of federal reserve actions, required reserves increased from $44 billion to $60 billion. however, banks started holding more reserves than required. by january 2009, banks were holding $900 billion in excess reserves. the federal reserve started paying interest on the excess reserves that the banks held. what possible impact will these unused reserves have on the economy?

Match the given situations to the type of risks that a business may face while taking credit. 1. beta ltd. had taken a loan from a bank for a period of 15 years, but its sales are gradually showing a decline. 2. alpha ltd. has taken a loan for increasing its production and sales, but it has not conducted any research before making this decision. 3. delphi ltd. has an overseas client. the economy of the client’s country is going through severe recession. 4. delphi ltd. has taken a short-term loan from the bank, but its supply chain logistics are not in place. a. foreign exchange risk b. operational risk c. term of loan risk d. revenue projections risk