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1
Chapter 3
A Review of Statistical Principles
Useful in Finance
2
Statistical thinking will one day be as
necessary for effective citizenship as the
ability to read and write.
- H.G. Wells
3
Outline
Introduction
The concept of return
Some statistical facts of life
4
Introduction
Statistical principles are useful in:
• The theory of finance
• Understanding how portfolios work
• Why diversifying portfolios is a good idea
5
The Concept of Return
Measurable return
Expected return
Return on investment
6
Measurable Return
Definition
Holding period return
Arithmetic mean return
Geometric mean return
Comparison of arithmetic and geometric
mean returns
7
Definition
A general definition of return is the benefit
associated with an investment
• In most cases, return is measurable
• E.g., a $100 investment at 8%, compounded
continuously is worth $108.33 after one year
– The return is $8.33, or 8.33%
8
Holding Period Return
The calculation of a holding period return
is independent of the passage of time
• E.g., you buy a bond for $950, receive $80 in
interest, and later sell the bond for $980
– The return is ($80 + $30)/$950 = 11.58%
– The 11.58% could have been earned over one year
or one week
9
Arithmetic Mean Return
The arithmetic mean return is the
arithmetic average of several holding period
returns measured over the same holding
period:
°
°
1
Arithmetic mean
the rate of return in period
n
i
i
i
R
n
R i
=
=
=
∑
10
Arithmetic Mean Return
(cont’d)
Arithmetic means are a useful proxy for
expected returns
Arithmetic means are not especially useful
for describing historical returns
• It is unclear what the number means once it is
determined
11
Geometric Mean Return
The geometric mean return is the nth root
of the product of n values:
°
1/
1
Geometric mean (1 ) 1
nn
i
i
R
=
 
= + − 
 
∏
12
Arithmetic and
Geometric Mean Returns
Example
Assume the following sample of weekly stock returns:
Week Return Return Relative
1 0.0084 1.0084
2 -0.0045 0.9955
3 0.0021 1.0021
4 0.0000 1.000
13
Arithmetic and Geometric
Mean Returns (cont’d)
Example (cont’d)
What is the arithmetic mean return?
Solution:
°
1
Arithmetic mean
0.0084 0.0045 0.0021 0.0000
4
0.0015
n
i
i
R
n=
=
− + +
=
=
∑
14
Arithmetic and Geometric
Mean Returns (cont’d)
Example (cont’d)
What is the geometric mean return?
Solution:
°
[ ]
1/
1
1/4
Geometric mean (1 ) 1
1.0084 0.9955 1.0021 1.0000 1
0.001489
nn
i
i
R
=
 
= + − 
 
= × × × −
=
∏
15
Comparison of Arithmetic &
Geometric Mean Returns
The geometric mean reduces the likelihood
of nonsense answers
• Assume a $100 investment falls by 50% in
period 1 and rises by 50% in period 2
• The investor has $75 at the end of period 2
– Arithmetic mean = (-50% + 50%)/2 = 0%
– Geometric mean = (0.50 x 1.50)1/2
–1 = -13.40%
16
Comparison of Arithmetic &
Geometric Mean Returns
The geometric mean must be used to
determine the rate of return that equates a
present value with a series of future values
The greater the dispersion in a series of
numbers, the wider the gap between the
arithmetic and geometric mean
17
Expected Return
Expected return refers to the future
• In finance, what happened in the past is not as
important as what happens in the future
• We can use past information to make estimates
about the future
18
Return on Investment (ROI)
Definition
Measuring total risk
19
Definition
Return on investment (ROI) is a term that
must be clearly defined
• Return on assets (ROA)
• Return on equity (ROE)
– ROE is a leveraged version of ROA
20
Measuring Total Risk
Standard deviation and variance
Semi-variance
21
Standard Deviation and
Variance
Standard deviation and variance are the
most common measures of total risk
They measure the dispersion of a set of
observations around the mean observation
22
Standard Deviation and
Variance (cont’d)
General equation for variance:
If all outcomes are equally likely:
[ ]
2
2
1
Variance prob( )
n
i i
i
x x xσ
=
= = −∑
[ ]
2
2
1
1 n
i
i
x x
n
σ
=
= −∑
23
Standard Deviation and
Variance (cont’d)
Equation for standard deviation:
[ ]
2
2
1
Standard deviation prob( )
n
i i
i
x x xσ σ
=
= = = −∑
24
Semi-Variance
Semi-variance considers the dispersion only
on the adverse side
• Ignores all observations greater than the mean
• Calculates variance using only “bad” returns
that are less than average
• Since risk means “chance of loss” positive
dispersion can distort the variance or standard
deviation statistic as a measure of risk
25
Some Statistical Facts of Life
Definitions
Properties of random variables
Linear regression
R squared and standard errors
26
Definitions
Constants
Variables
Populations
Samples
Sample statistics
27
Constants
A constant is a value that does not change
• E.g., the number of sides of a cube
• E.g., the sum of the interior angles of a triangle
A constant can be represented by a numeral
or by a symbol
28
Variables
A variable has no fixed value
• It is useful only when it is considered in the
context of other possible values it might assume
In finance, variables are called random
variables
• Designated by a tilde
– E.g., x%
29
Variables (cont’d)
Discrete random variables are countable
• E.g., the number of trout you catch
Continuous random variables are
measurable
• E.g., the length of a trout
30
Variables (cont’d)
Quantitative variables are measured by real
numbers
• E.g., numerical measurement
Qualitative variables are categorical
• E.g., hair color
31
Variables (cont’d)
Independent variables are measured
directly
• E.g., the height of a box
Dependent variables can only be measured
once other independent variables are
measured
• E.g., the volume of a box (requires length,
width, and height)
32
Populations
A population is the entire collection of a
particular set of random variables
The nature of a population is described by
its distribution
• The median of a distribution is the point where
half the observations lie on either side
• The mode is the value in a distribution that
occurs most frequently
33
Populations (cont’d)
A distribution can have skewness
• There is more dispersion on one side of the
distribution
• Positive skewness means the mean is greater
than the median
– Stock returns are positively skewed
• Negative skewness means the mean is less than
the median
34
Populations (cont’d)
Positive Skewness Negative Skewness
35
Populations (cont’d)
A binomial distribution contains only two
random variables
• E.g., the toss of a die
A finite population is one in which each
possible outcome is known
• E.g., a card drawn from a deck of cards
36
Populations (cont’d)
An infinite population is one where not all
observations can be counted
• E.g., the microorganisms in a cubic mile of
ocean water
A univariate population has one variable of
interest
37
Populations (cont’d)
A bivariate population has two variables of
interest
• E.g., weight and size
A multivariate population has more than
two variables of interest
• E.g., weight, size, and color
38
Samples
A sample is any subset of a population
• E.g., a sample of past monthly stock returns of
a particular stock
39
Sample Statistics
Sample statistics are characteristics of
samples
• A true population statistic is usually
unobservable and must be estimated with a
sample statistic
– Expensive
– Statistically unnecessary
40
Properties of
Random Variables
Example
Central tendency
Dispersion
Logarithms
Expectations
Correlation and covariance
41
Example
Assume the following monthly stock returns for Stocks A
and B:
Month Stock A Stock B
1 2% 3%
2 -1% 0%
3 4% 5%
4 1% 4%
42
Central Tendency
Central tendency is what a random variable
looks like, on average
The usual measure of central tendency is
the population’s expected value (the mean)
• The average value of all elements of the
population
1
1
( )
n
i i
i
E R R
n =
= ∑% %
43
Example (cont’d)
The expected returns for Stocks A and B are:
1
1 1
( ) (2% 1% 4% 1%) 1.50%
4
n
A i
i
E R R
n =
= = − + + =∑% %
1
1 1
( ) (3% 0% 5% 4%) 3.00%
4
n
B i
i
E R R
n =
= = + + + =∑% %
44
Dispersion
Investors are interest in the best and the
worst in addition to the average
A common measure of dispersion is the
variance or standard deviation
( )
( )
22
22
i
i
E x x
E x x
σ
σ σ
 = −
 
 = = −
 
%
%
45
Example (cont’d)
The variance ad standard deviation for Stock A are:
( )
22
2 2 2 2
2
1
(2% 1.5%) ( 1% 1.5%) (4% 1.5%) (1% 1.5%)
4
1
(0.0013) 0.000325
4
0.000325 0.018 1.8%
iE x xσ
σ σ
 = −
 
 = − + − − + − + − 
= =
= = = =
%
46
Example (cont’d)
The variance ad standard deviation for Stock B are:
( )
22
2 2 2 2
2
1
(3% 3.0%) (0% 3.0%) (5% 3.0%) (4% 3.0%)
4
1
(0.0014) 0.00035
4
0.00035 0.0187 1.87%
iE x xσ
σ σ
 = −
 
 = − + − + − + − 
= =
= = = =
%
47
Logarithms
Logarithms reduce the impact of extreme
values
• E.g., takeover rumors may cause huge price
swings
• A logreturn is the logarithm of a return
Logarithms make other statistical tools
more appropriate
• E.g., linear regression
48
Logarithms (cont’d)
Using logreturns on stock return
distributions:
• Take the raw returns
• Convert the raw returns to return relatives
• Take the natural logarithm of the return
relatives
49
Expectations
The expected value of a constant is a
constant:
The expected value of a constant times a
random variable is the constant times the
expected value of the random variable:
( )E a a=
( ) ( )E ax aE x=% %
50
Expectations (cont’d)
The expected value of a combination of
random variables is equal to the sum of the
expected value of each element of the
combination:
( ) ( ) ( )E x y E x E y+ = +% % % %
51
Correlations and Covariance
Correlation is the degree of association
between two variables
Covariance is the product moment of two
random variables about their means
Correlation and covariance are related and
generally measure the same phenomenon
52
Correlations and Covariance
(cont’d)
( , ) ( )( )ABCOV A B E A A B Bσ  = = − − 
% %% %
( , )
AB
A B
COV A B
ρ
σ σ
=
% %
53
Example (cont’d)
The covariance and correlation for Stocks A and B are:
[ ]
1
(0.5% 0.0%) ( 2.5% 3.0%) (2.5% 2.0%) ( 0.5% 1.0%)
4
1
(0.001225)
4
0.000306
ABσ = × + − ×− + × + − ×
=
=
( , ) 0.000306
0.909
(0.018)(0.0187)
AB
A B
COV A B
ρ
σ σ
= = =
% %
54
Correlations and Covariance
Correlation ranges from –1.0 to +1.0.
• Two random variables that are perfectly
positively correlated have a correlation
coefficient of +1.0
• Two random variables that are perfectly
negatively correlated have a correlation
coefficient of –1.0
55
Linear Regression
Linear regression is a mathematical
technique used to predict the value of one
variable from a series of values of other
variables
• E.g., predict the return of an individual stock
using a stock market index
Regression finds the equation of a line
through the points that gives the best
possible fit
56
Linear Regression (cont’d)
Example
Assume the following sample of weekly stock and stock
index returns:
Week Stock Return Index Return
1 0.0084 0.0088
2 -0.0045 -0.0048
3 0.0021 0.0019
4 0.0000 0.0005
57
Linear Regression (cont’d)
Example (cont’d)
-0.006
-0.004
-0.002
0
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.01
-0.01 -0.005 0 0.005 0.01
Return (Market)
Return(Stock)
Intercept = 0
Slope = 0.96
R squared = 0.99
58
R Squared and
Standard Errors
Application
R squared
Standard Errors
59
Application
R-squared and the standard error are used
to assess the accuracy of calculated
statistics
60
R Squared
R squared is a measure of how good a fit we get
with the regression line
• If every data point lies exactly on the line, R squared is
100%
R squared is the square of the correlation
coefficient between the security returns and the
market returns
• It measures the portion of a security’s variability that is
due to the market variability
61
Standard Errors
The standard error is the standard deviation
divided by the square root of the number of
observations:
Standard error
n
σ
=
62
Standard Errors (cont’d)
The standard error enables us to determine
the likelihood that the coefficient is
statistically different from zero
• About 68% of the elements of the distribution
lie within one standard error of the mean
• About 95% lie within 1.96 standard errors
• About 99% lie within 3.00 standard errors

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1572 mean-a review of statistical principles

  • 1. 1 Chapter 3 A Review of Statistical Principles Useful in Finance
  • 2. 2 Statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for effective citizenship as the ability to read and write. - H.G. Wells
  • 3. 3 Outline Introduction The concept of return Some statistical facts of life
  • 4. 4 Introduction Statistical principles are useful in: • The theory of finance • Understanding how portfolios work • Why diversifying portfolios is a good idea
  • 5. 5 The Concept of Return Measurable return Expected return Return on investment
  • 6. 6 Measurable Return Definition Holding period return Arithmetic mean return Geometric mean return Comparison of arithmetic and geometric mean returns
  • 7. 7 Definition A general definition of return is the benefit associated with an investment • In most cases, return is measurable • E.g., a $100 investment at 8%, compounded continuously is worth $108.33 after one year – The return is $8.33, or 8.33%
  • 8. 8 Holding Period Return The calculation of a holding period return is independent of the passage of time • E.g., you buy a bond for $950, receive $80 in interest, and later sell the bond for $980 – The return is ($80 + $30)/$950 = 11.58% – The 11.58% could have been earned over one year or one week
  • 9. 9 Arithmetic Mean Return The arithmetic mean return is the arithmetic average of several holding period returns measured over the same holding period: ° ° 1 Arithmetic mean the rate of return in period n i i i R n R i = = = ∑
  • 10. 10 Arithmetic Mean Return (cont’d) Arithmetic means are a useful proxy for expected returns Arithmetic means are not especially useful for describing historical returns • It is unclear what the number means once it is determined
  • 11. 11 Geometric Mean Return The geometric mean return is the nth root of the product of n values: ° 1/ 1 Geometric mean (1 ) 1 nn i i R =   = + −    ∏
  • 12. 12 Arithmetic and Geometric Mean Returns Example Assume the following sample of weekly stock returns: Week Return Return Relative 1 0.0084 1.0084 2 -0.0045 0.9955 3 0.0021 1.0021 4 0.0000 1.000
  • 13. 13 Arithmetic and Geometric Mean Returns (cont’d) Example (cont’d) What is the arithmetic mean return? Solution: ° 1 Arithmetic mean 0.0084 0.0045 0.0021 0.0000 4 0.0015 n i i R n= = − + + = = ∑
  • 14. 14 Arithmetic and Geometric Mean Returns (cont’d) Example (cont’d) What is the geometric mean return? Solution: ° [ ] 1/ 1 1/4 Geometric mean (1 ) 1 1.0084 0.9955 1.0021 1.0000 1 0.001489 nn i i R =   = + −    = × × × − = ∏
  • 15. 15 Comparison of Arithmetic & Geometric Mean Returns The geometric mean reduces the likelihood of nonsense answers • Assume a $100 investment falls by 50% in period 1 and rises by 50% in period 2 • The investor has $75 at the end of period 2 – Arithmetic mean = (-50% + 50%)/2 = 0% – Geometric mean = (0.50 x 1.50)1/2 –1 = -13.40%
  • 16. 16 Comparison of Arithmetic & Geometric Mean Returns The geometric mean must be used to determine the rate of return that equates a present value with a series of future values The greater the dispersion in a series of numbers, the wider the gap between the arithmetic and geometric mean
  • 17. 17 Expected Return Expected return refers to the future • In finance, what happened in the past is not as important as what happens in the future • We can use past information to make estimates about the future
  • 18. 18 Return on Investment (ROI) Definition Measuring total risk
  • 19. 19 Definition Return on investment (ROI) is a term that must be clearly defined • Return on assets (ROA) • Return on equity (ROE) – ROE is a leveraged version of ROA
  • 20. 20 Measuring Total Risk Standard deviation and variance Semi-variance
  • 21. 21 Standard Deviation and Variance Standard deviation and variance are the most common measures of total risk They measure the dispersion of a set of observations around the mean observation
  • 22. 22 Standard Deviation and Variance (cont’d) General equation for variance: If all outcomes are equally likely: [ ] 2 2 1 Variance prob( ) n i i i x x xσ = = = −∑ [ ] 2 2 1 1 n i i x x n σ = = −∑
  • 23. 23 Standard Deviation and Variance (cont’d) Equation for standard deviation: [ ] 2 2 1 Standard deviation prob( ) n i i i x x xσ σ = = = = −∑
  • 24. 24 Semi-Variance Semi-variance considers the dispersion only on the adverse side • Ignores all observations greater than the mean • Calculates variance using only “bad” returns that are less than average • Since risk means “chance of loss” positive dispersion can distort the variance or standard deviation statistic as a measure of risk
  • 25. 25 Some Statistical Facts of Life Definitions Properties of random variables Linear regression R squared and standard errors
  • 27. 27 Constants A constant is a value that does not change • E.g., the number of sides of a cube • E.g., the sum of the interior angles of a triangle A constant can be represented by a numeral or by a symbol
  • 28. 28 Variables A variable has no fixed value • It is useful only when it is considered in the context of other possible values it might assume In finance, variables are called random variables • Designated by a tilde – E.g., x%
  • 29. 29 Variables (cont’d) Discrete random variables are countable • E.g., the number of trout you catch Continuous random variables are measurable • E.g., the length of a trout
  • 30. 30 Variables (cont’d) Quantitative variables are measured by real numbers • E.g., numerical measurement Qualitative variables are categorical • E.g., hair color
  • 31. 31 Variables (cont’d) Independent variables are measured directly • E.g., the height of a box Dependent variables can only be measured once other independent variables are measured • E.g., the volume of a box (requires length, width, and height)
  • 32. 32 Populations A population is the entire collection of a particular set of random variables The nature of a population is described by its distribution • The median of a distribution is the point where half the observations lie on either side • The mode is the value in a distribution that occurs most frequently
  • 33. 33 Populations (cont’d) A distribution can have skewness • There is more dispersion on one side of the distribution • Positive skewness means the mean is greater than the median – Stock returns are positively skewed • Negative skewness means the mean is less than the median
  • 35. 35 Populations (cont’d) A binomial distribution contains only two random variables • E.g., the toss of a die A finite population is one in which each possible outcome is known • E.g., a card drawn from a deck of cards
  • 36. 36 Populations (cont’d) An infinite population is one where not all observations can be counted • E.g., the microorganisms in a cubic mile of ocean water A univariate population has one variable of interest
  • 37. 37 Populations (cont’d) A bivariate population has two variables of interest • E.g., weight and size A multivariate population has more than two variables of interest • E.g., weight, size, and color
  • 38. 38 Samples A sample is any subset of a population • E.g., a sample of past monthly stock returns of a particular stock
  • 39. 39 Sample Statistics Sample statistics are characteristics of samples • A true population statistic is usually unobservable and must be estimated with a sample statistic – Expensive – Statistically unnecessary
  • 40. 40 Properties of Random Variables Example Central tendency Dispersion Logarithms Expectations Correlation and covariance
  • 41. 41 Example Assume the following monthly stock returns for Stocks A and B: Month Stock A Stock B 1 2% 3% 2 -1% 0% 3 4% 5% 4 1% 4%
  • 42. 42 Central Tendency Central tendency is what a random variable looks like, on average The usual measure of central tendency is the population’s expected value (the mean) • The average value of all elements of the population 1 1 ( ) n i i i E R R n = = ∑% %
  • 43. 43 Example (cont’d) The expected returns for Stocks A and B are: 1 1 1 ( ) (2% 1% 4% 1%) 1.50% 4 n A i i E R R n = = = − + + =∑% % 1 1 1 ( ) (3% 0% 5% 4%) 3.00% 4 n B i i E R R n = = = + + + =∑% %
  • 44. 44 Dispersion Investors are interest in the best and the worst in addition to the average A common measure of dispersion is the variance or standard deviation ( ) ( ) 22 22 i i E x x E x x σ σ σ  = −    = = −   % %
  • 45. 45 Example (cont’d) The variance ad standard deviation for Stock A are: ( ) 22 2 2 2 2 2 1 (2% 1.5%) ( 1% 1.5%) (4% 1.5%) (1% 1.5%) 4 1 (0.0013) 0.000325 4 0.000325 0.018 1.8% iE x xσ σ σ  = −    = − + − − + − + −  = = = = = = %
  • 46. 46 Example (cont’d) The variance ad standard deviation for Stock B are: ( ) 22 2 2 2 2 2 1 (3% 3.0%) (0% 3.0%) (5% 3.0%) (4% 3.0%) 4 1 (0.0014) 0.00035 4 0.00035 0.0187 1.87% iE x xσ σ σ  = −    = − + − + − + −  = = = = = = %
  • 47. 47 Logarithms Logarithms reduce the impact of extreme values • E.g., takeover rumors may cause huge price swings • A logreturn is the logarithm of a return Logarithms make other statistical tools more appropriate • E.g., linear regression
  • 48. 48 Logarithms (cont’d) Using logreturns on stock return distributions: • Take the raw returns • Convert the raw returns to return relatives • Take the natural logarithm of the return relatives
  • 49. 49 Expectations The expected value of a constant is a constant: The expected value of a constant times a random variable is the constant times the expected value of the random variable: ( )E a a= ( ) ( )E ax aE x=% %
  • 50. 50 Expectations (cont’d) The expected value of a combination of random variables is equal to the sum of the expected value of each element of the combination: ( ) ( ) ( )E x y E x E y+ = +% % % %
  • 51. 51 Correlations and Covariance Correlation is the degree of association between two variables Covariance is the product moment of two random variables about their means Correlation and covariance are related and generally measure the same phenomenon
  • 52. 52 Correlations and Covariance (cont’d) ( , ) ( )( )ABCOV A B E A A B Bσ  = = − −  % %% % ( , ) AB A B COV A B ρ σ σ = % %
  • 53. 53 Example (cont’d) The covariance and correlation for Stocks A and B are: [ ] 1 (0.5% 0.0%) ( 2.5% 3.0%) (2.5% 2.0%) ( 0.5% 1.0%) 4 1 (0.001225) 4 0.000306 ABσ = × + − ×− + × + − × = = ( , ) 0.000306 0.909 (0.018)(0.0187) AB A B COV A B ρ σ σ = = = % %
  • 54. 54 Correlations and Covariance Correlation ranges from –1.0 to +1.0. • Two random variables that are perfectly positively correlated have a correlation coefficient of +1.0 • Two random variables that are perfectly negatively correlated have a correlation coefficient of –1.0
  • 55. 55 Linear Regression Linear regression is a mathematical technique used to predict the value of one variable from a series of values of other variables • E.g., predict the return of an individual stock using a stock market index Regression finds the equation of a line through the points that gives the best possible fit
  • 56. 56 Linear Regression (cont’d) Example Assume the following sample of weekly stock and stock index returns: Week Stock Return Index Return 1 0.0084 0.0088 2 -0.0045 -0.0048 3 0.0021 0.0019 4 0.0000 0.0005
  • 57. 57 Linear Regression (cont’d) Example (cont’d) -0.006 -0.004 -0.002 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 -0.01 -0.005 0 0.005 0.01 Return (Market) Return(Stock) Intercept = 0 Slope = 0.96 R squared = 0.99
  • 58. 58 R Squared and Standard Errors Application R squared Standard Errors
  • 59. 59 Application R-squared and the standard error are used to assess the accuracy of calculated statistics
  • 60. 60 R Squared R squared is a measure of how good a fit we get with the regression line • If every data point lies exactly on the line, R squared is 100% R squared is the square of the correlation coefficient between the security returns and the market returns • It measures the portion of a security’s variability that is due to the market variability
  • 61. 61 Standard Errors The standard error is the standard deviation divided by the square root of the number of observations: Standard error n σ =
  • 62. 62 Standard Errors (cont’d) The standard error enables us to determine the likelihood that the coefficient is statistically different from zero • About 68% of the elements of the distribution lie within one standard error of the mean • About 95% lie within 1.96 standard errors • About 99% lie within 3.00 standard errors