Sapm Key Notes
Sapm Key Notes
Investment is the act of pu ng money into something with the expecta on of earning a profit or income
over me. It involves careful planning and decision-making to grow wealth while managing risks. This sec on
explains the basics of inves ng in simple terms.
1. Investment Process
The investment process is a step-by-step approach to making smart investment decisions. It helps investors
choose the right op ons and achieve their financial goals.
Decide what you want to achieve (e.g., buying a house, saving for re rement, or
funding educa on).
Determine how much risk you’re comfortable with (e.g., are you okay with losing some
money for higher returns?).
Example: A young person may take more risks, while someone nearing re rement may
prefer safer op ons.
Research different investment op ons (e.g., stocks, bonds, real estate) and their risks
and returns.
4. Choose Investments:
Select investments that match your goals, risk tolerance, and budget.
Regularly check how your investments are performing and make changes if needed.
Significance:
Example: Priya wants to save for a car. She sets a goal, assesses her risk tolerance, researches mutual
funds, invests, and reviews her por olio yearly.
2. Criteria for Investment
The criteria for investment are the factors investors consider to evaluate and choose investment op ons.
These ensure the investment is suitable and profitable.
Key Criteria:
1. Return:
The profit or income earned (e.g., interest, dividends, or price apprecia on).
Example: A stock may give 10% annual returns through price growth and dividends.
2. Risk:
Example: Stocks are riskier than fixed deposits but may offer higher returns.
3. Liquidity:
Example: Shares in a stock market are more liquid than real estate.
4. Time Horizon:
Example: Short-term (1–3 years) for a vaca on, long-term (10+ years) for re rement.
5. Tax Benefits:
6. Cost:
Significance:
Example: Ravi chooses a mutual fund with moderate risk, 8% expected return, high liquidity, and low
fees for his 5-year goal.
3. Types of Investors
Types of investors describe the different categories of people or en es who invest, based on their goals,
risk tolerance, and strategies.
Key Types:
1. Individual Investors:
Regular people inves ng personal money for goals like re rement or buying a home.
Large organiza ons like banks, insurance companies, or pension funds inves ng huge
sums.
3. Conserva ve Investors:
4. Aggressive Investors:
5. Ac ve Investors:
6. Passive Investors:
Significance:
Example: A conserva ve individual investor chooses bonds, while an aggressive ins tu onal investor
buys tech stocks.
These terms describe different approaches to using money with the hope of earning more, but they differ in
risk, me, and decision-making.
Investment:
o Pu ng money into assets with the expecta on of steady, long-term returns based on research
and analysis.
o Features:
Low to moderate risk.
o Example: Buying shares of a stable company like Reliance Industries for dividend income and
growth.
Specula on:
o Taking higher risks for poten ally large, short-term gains based on market trends or
predic ons.
o Features:
High risk.
o Example: Buying a new cryptocurrency hoping its price will skyrocket in weeks.
Gambling:
o Features:
Immediate or short-term.
No research; luck-driven.
Comparison:
Significance:
o Investors should focus on investment for sustainable wealth, avoiding specula on or gambling.
Example: Inves ng in a mutual fund is investment, buying untested stocks based on ps is specula on,
and playing slot machines is gambling.
5. Elements of Investment
The elements of investment are the core components that define and influence the investment decision-
making process.
Key Elements:
Example: Stocks offer high returns but can be vola le, while bonds are safer but yield
less.
2. Time Horizon:
3. Liquidity:
Example: Savings accounts are highly liquid; real estate is less liquid.
4. Diversifica on:
Significance:
Example: An investor diversifies by alloca ng 50% to stocks (high return, high risk), 30% to bonds (low
risk, moderate return), and 20% to a savings account (high liquidity, low return).
6. Investment Avenues
Investment avenues are the various op ons available for inves ng money, each with unique features, risks,
and returns.
3. Mutual Funds:
Risk: Varies (low for debt funds, high for equity funds).
5. Real Estate:
8. Cryptocurrencies:
Digital currencies like Bitcoin, highly specula ve.
Significance:
Example: A balanced por olio might include stocks for growth, bonds for stability, and gold for
hedging.
The factors influencing investment selec on are the considera ons that guide investors in choosing the best
investment op ons for their needs.
Key Factors:
1. Financial Goals:
Investments depend on objec ves like wealth crea on, income genera on, or capital
preserva on.
2. Risk Tolerance:
4. Time Horizon:
Short-term goals favor liquid, low-risk op ons; long-term goals allow riskier
investments.
7. Liquidity Needs:
Example: Savings accounts for emergencies, real estate for long-term holds.
Significance:
o Ensures investments align with personal circumstances and market reali es.
Example: A young professional with high risk tolerance and a long-term goal invests in stocks, while a
re ree with low risk tolerance chooses FDs.
Security Market
The security market is a financial marketplace where securi es—such as stocks, bonds, and deriva ves—are
bought and sold. It plays a vital role in helping companies and governments raise funds and allowing investors
to grow their wealth. This sec on explains the security market, its func ons, and related concepts in simple
terms.
Defini on: The security market is a pla orm where financial securi es (like shares, bonds, and
deriva ves) are issued, bought, and sold based on supply and demand. It connects those who need
funds (e.g., companies, governments) with those who have extra money to invest (e.g., individuals,
ins tu ons).
o Primary Market: Where new securi es are issued for the first me, such as through an Ini al
Public Offering (IPO). Companies or governments sell directly to investors to raise funds.
o Secondary Market: Where already-issued securi es are traded among investors, like on stock
exchanges. It provides liquidity, allowing investors to buy or sell easily.
Par cipants:
o Investors: Individuals or ins tu ons (e.g., mutual funds, banks) buying securi es.
Significance:
o Helps businesses and governments fund projects like expansion or infrastructure.
Example: A company issues shares in the primary market through an IPO to raise money for a new
factory. Investors later trade these shares on a stock exchange in the secondary market.
The security market performs several key func ons that support investors, issuers, and the economy.
Channels savings from investors to companies and governments for long-term projects
like building factories or roads.
Example: Investors buy bonds issued by a company, providing funds for expansion.
2. Liquidity:
Allows investors to buy or sell securi es easily, conver ng investments into cash when
needed.
3. Price Discovery:
Determines the fair price of securi es based on supply and demand, reflec ng
company performance and market condi ons.
Example: A company’s stock price rises due to strong profits, signaling investor
confidence.
4. Risk Transfer:
Transfers investment risk from one investor (seller) to another (buyer) in the secondary
market.
Example: An investor sells risky stocks to another willing to take the risk.
Provides market data (e.g., stock prices, trading volumes) to help investors make
informed decisions.
Example: Investors analyze stock price trends to decide whether to buy or sell.
Ensures transparent and fair trading through rules and oversight, protec ng investors
from fraud.
Example: SEBI monitors companies to prevent insider trading.
Offers deriva ves (e.g., op ons, futures) to protect against price fluctua ons.
Significance:
Example: The security market helps a startup raise funds through an IPO (capital forma on) and
allows investors to sell shares later (liquidity).
The secondary market, also called the stock market, is where previously issued securi es are traded among
investors, without involvement from the issuing company.
Key Features:
o Liquidity: Investors can quickly buy or sell securi es, ensuring flexibility.
o Trading Pla orms: Operates through stock exchanges (e.g., NSE, BSE) or over-the-counter
(OTC) markets.
o Price Determina on: Prices are driven by supply and demand, reflec ng market sen ment
and company performance.
1. Stock Exchanges:
Organized pla orms like the Na onal Stock Exchange (NSE) or Bombay Stock Exchange
(BSE) where securi es are traded under strict rules.
Decentralized trading directly between par es, o en for unlisted securi es or bonds.
Opera ons:
3. Trading:
Investors place buy or sell orders through brokers via electronic trading systems.
4. Clearing:
A clearing corpora on ensures trades are completed by matching buyers and sellers
and guaranteeing transac ons.
5. Se lement:
Transfer of securi es to the buyer and funds to the seller, typically within T+1 (trade
date plus one day) in India.
Par cipants:
Significance:
o Supports primary market by assuring investors they can sell securi es later.
Example: An investor buys shares of Infosys on the BSE and sells them a year later when the price
rises, earning a profit.
Stock exchanges are organized pla orms where securi es like stocks, bonds, and deriva ves are traded under
strict regula ons. They ensure transparency, liquidity, and fair trading.
India’s largest stock exchange by trading volume and market capitaliza on.
Offers trading in equi es, debt, deriva ves, and mutual funds.
Other Exchanges:
Func ons:
o Provide market data and indices (e.g., Ni y, Sensex) for investor analysis.
Significance:
Example: An investor uses the NSE’s trading pla orm to buy shares of Tata Motors, benefi ng from
real- me price updates and liquidity.
The Securi es and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory authority overseeing India’s securi es
markets, established under the SEBI Act, 1992.
o Protect Investors: Safeguard investor interests by preven ng fraud and malprac ces.
o Regulate Markets: Ensure fair and transparent opera ons of stock exchanges, brokers, and
companies.
1. Regula on:
2. Monitoring:
4. Market Development:
5. Registra on:
Significance:
Example: SEBI fines a company for hiding financial data, protec ng investors from misinforma on.
The government securi es market deals with securi es issued by central and state governments to raise
funds for budget deficits or projects. These are considered low-risk investments.
Example: A 91-day T-Bill with a face value of ₹100 is bought for ₹98 and redeemed for
₹100.
Issued by state governments, similar to G-Secs but with slightly higher interest rates.
Includes infla on-indexed bonds or capital-indexed bonds to protect against infla on.
Example: Treasury Infla on-Protected Securi es (TIPS) adjust principal with infla on.
o Primary Market: Issued through auc ons by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
o Secondary Market: Traded on pla orms like the NSE’s Wholesale Debt Market (WDM).
o Primary Dealers: Specialized intermediaries (e.g., banks) underwrite and trade G-Secs.
Significance:
Example: An investor buys a 5-year G-Sec at face value, earning 6.5% interest annually, and sells it
later in the secondary market for a profit.
The corporate debt market involves debt securi es issued by companies to raise funds, offering investors
fixed-income opportuni es.
1. Corporate Bonds:
2. Debentures:
Short-term, unsecured debt (up to 1 year) issued by companies with high credit ra ngs.
o Primary Market: Companies issue bonds or debentures through public offers or private
placements.
o Secondary Market: Traded on stock exchanges or OTC markets, though liquidity is lower than
equi es.
o Credit Ra ngs: Agencies like CRISIL assess bonds for risk, influencing investor decisions.
Significance:
o Offers investors steady income with varying risk levels (e.g., high-yield junk bonds vs.
investment-grade bonds).
Challenges:
Example: An investor buys corporate bonds from a reputable company, earning 8% interest annually,
and holds them un l maturity.
The money market deals with short-term, low-risk financial instruments with maturi es of up to one year,
used for liquidity management.
Example: A bank borrows funds using CBLO to meet daily cash needs.
Short-term borrowing where securi es (e.g., G-Secs) are sold with an agreement to
repurchase later.
Example: A bank sells G-Secs and repurchases them a er 7 days, paying interest.
Significance:
o Helps RBI regulate money supply through open market opera ons.
Example: An investor parks surplus funds in a 91-day T-Bill for safety and quick returns, while a
company uses CPs to manage short-term expenses.
Unit 2
Risk and return are the two core concepts of inves ng. Risk is the uncertainty or chance of losing money,
while return is the profit or income earned from an investment. Understanding both helps investors make
informed decisions to balance poten al gains with poten al losses.
1. Meaning of Risk
Defini on: Risk is the possibility that an investment’s actual return will differ from its expected return,
including the chance of losing some or all of the invested money. It reflects uncertainty in outcomes.
Key Points:
o Higher risk o en comes with the poten al for higher returns, and vice versa.
o Risk arises from factors like market changes, economic condi ons, or company performance.
Example: Inves ng in a startup’s stock is risky because the company might fail, but it could also yield
high returns if it succeeds.
2. Types of Risk
Risks in investments are classified into various types based on their sources. They are broadly divided into
systema c and unsystema c risks.
Defini on: Risk that affects the en re market or a large segment of it, caused by factors beyond an
individual company’s control.
Examples:
1. Interest Rate Risk: Changes in interest rates affect bond prices and stock markets.
3. Market Risk: General market declines due to economic or poli cal events.
4. Exchange Rate Risk: Currency value changes impact interna onal investments.
Example: A falling rupee reduces returns on foreign stocks for Indian investors.
Key Point: Cannot be eliminated through diversifica on; affects all investments.
B. Unsystema c Risk (Specific Risk or Diversifiable Risk)
Defini on: Risk specific to an individual company or industry, which can be reduced through
diversifica on.
Examples:
Significance: Understanding types of risk helps investors choose investments that match their risk
tolerance and diversify to reduce unsystema c risk.
Example: An investor diversifies by holding stocks, bonds, and real estate to reduce unsystema c risk
while monitoring market trends to manage systema c risk.
3. Measuring Risk
Measuring risk involves quan fying the uncertainty or variability of an investment’s returns to assess its
poten al for loss.
Key Measures:
Measures how much an investment’s returns deviate from its average (expected)
return.
Formula: [ \sigma = \sqrt{\frac{\sum (R_i - \bar{R})^2}{n}} ] Where ( \sigma ) = standard
devia on, ( R_i ) = individual return, ( \bar{R} ) = average return, ( n ) = number of
returns.
Interpreta on: Higher standard devia on = higher risk (more vola lity).
2. Beta:
Interpreta on:
Beta > 1: More vola le than the market (e.g., tech stocks).
Example: A stock with a beta of 1.5 rises or falls 1.5 mes more than the market index.
Beta (β):
Stock A Beta = 1.5 → Moves more than the market. High risk.
Stock B Beta = 0.7 → Moves less than the market. Lower risk.
1. Variance:
Measures the spread of returns around the mean, squared form of standard devia on.
Formula:
Es mates the maximum poten al loss over a specific period at a given confidence
level.
Example: A por olio has a 5% VaR of ₹10,000 over one month, meaning there’s a 5%
chance of losing more than ₹10,000.
Formula:
Example: An investment with a 10% return and 5% standard devia on has a CV of 0.5.
Significance:
Example: An investor compares two stocks: Stock A (standard devia on 15%, beta 1.2) and Stock B
(standard devia on 8%, beta 0.8). Stock B is less risky.
Risk preference describes how comfortable investors are with taking risks, influencing their investment
choices.
1. Risk-Averse Investors:
2. Risk-Neutral Investors:
Characteris cs: Willing to take moderate risks if returns are propor onate.
Example: Inves ng in balanced mutual funds with a mix of stocks and bonds.
3. Risk-Seeking Investors:
o Age: Younger investors o en take more risks; older investors prefer safety.
o Financial Goals: Short-term goals favor low risk; long-term goals allow higher risk.
Significance:
Example: A young, high-earning investor (risk-seeking) buys tech stocks, while a re ree (risk-averse)
chooses fixed deposits.
5. Meaning of Return
Defini on: Return is the profit or income earned from an investment, expressed as a percentage of
the amount invested. It represents the reward for taking risk.
Types of Returns:
o Capital Gains: Profit from selling an asset at a higher price than purchased.
Example: Buying a stock for ₹100 and selling for ₹120 yields a ₹20 capital gain.
Example: A stock gives ₹10 dividends and a ₹20 price increase, totaling a ₹30 return.
Significance:
Example: An investor earns a 10% return on a mutual fund through dividends and price apprecia on.
6. Measures of Return
Measures of return quan fy investment performance, allowing investors to evaluate and compare op ons.
Key Measures:
The total return earned over the period an investment is held, including income and
capital gains.
Example: A stock bought for ₹100, sold for ₹120, and pays ₹5 dividend: [ \text{HPR} =
\frac{120 - 100 + 5}{100} \ mes 100 = 25% ]
2. Annualized Return:
Converts the holding period return to an annual rate for comparison, accoun ng for
the investment period.
3. Expected Return:
The an cipated return based on probable outcomes and their probabili es.
Formula: [ \text{Expected Return} = \sum (P_i \ mes R_i) ] Where ( P_i ) = probability
of outcome, ( R_i ) = return for outcome.
Example: A stock has a 50% chance of 10% return, 30% chance of 5% return, and 20%
chance of -2% return: [ \text{Expected Return} = (0.5 \ mes 10) + (0.3 \ mes 5) + (0.2
\ mes -2) = 5 + 1.5 - 0.4 = 6.1% ]
Example: Returns of 10%, 5%, and -2% over 3 years: [ \text{Arithme c Average} =
\frac{10 + 5 - 2}{3} = 4.33% ]
Example: Returns of 10%, 5%, and -2%: [ \text{Geometric Average} = \le ( (1.10 \ mes
1.05 \ mes 0.98) \right)^{\frac{1}{3}} - 1 \approx 4.29% ]
Significance:
o HPR measures total performance, annualized return standardizes for comparison, and
expected return predicts future outcomes.
Example: An investor calculates a stock’s 15% HPR over 6 months, converts it to a 30% annualized
return, and es mates a 7% expected return based on market trends.
7. Investors’ A tude Towards Risk and Return
Investors’ a tude towards risk and return reflects their willingness to accept risk in pursuit of higher returns,
shaping their investment decisions.
Key A tudes:
1. Risk-Averse:
Example: Choosing fixed deposits (5–7% return, low risk) over stocks (10–15% return,
high risk).
2. Risk-Neutral:
Example: Inves ng in a diversified mutual fund with moderate risk and return.
3. Risk-Seeking:
o Goals: Short-term goals (e.g., buying a car) favor low risk; long-term goals (e.g., re rement)
allow higher risk.
Risk-Return Trade-Off:
o Investments with higher poten al returns (e.g., stocks) carry higher risks.
Significance:
Example: A risk-averse re ree invests in government bonds for stable income, while a risk-seeking
young professional buys tech stocks for growth.
Unit 3
Investment Analysis is the process of evalua ng investment op ons to determine their poten al for profit,
risk, and suitability. It helps investors make informed decisions by analyzing various factors like economic
condi ons, industry trends, and company performance. This sec on explains investment analysis and its key
components in simple terms.
Defini on: Investment analysis involves studying and assessing investment opportuni es (e.g., stocks,
bonds, real estate) to decide whether they are worth inves ng in based on their expected returns,
risks, and alignment with financial goals.
Purpose:
o Iden fy investments that offer the best balance of risk and return.
o Align investments with goals like wealth crea on, income genera on, or capital preserva on.
1. Fundamental Analysis: Examines the intrinsic value of an investment based on economic, industry,
and company factors.
2. Technical Analysis: Studies price pa erns and market trends using charts and historical data.
3. Quan ta ve Analysis: Uses mathema cal models and sta s cal tools to evaluate investments.
Process:
Significance:
o Helps investors build a por olio that matches their risk tolerance and goals.
Example: An investor analyzes a company’s financial health and market trends before buying its
shares to ensure it’s a good investment.
2. Fundamental Analysis
Defini on: Fundamental analysis is a method of evalua ng an investment by studying its intrinsic
(true) value based on economic, industry, and company-specific factors. It assumes that the market
price of a security will eventually reflect its true value.
Objec ve:
Key Components:
o Macroeconomic Analysis: Examines broad economic factors like GDP, infla on, and interest
rates.
o Industry Analysis: Studies the industry’s growth, compe on, and trends.
o Company Analysis: Evaluates the company’s financial health, management, and performance.
Process:
4. Compare the intrinsic value to the market price to decide whether to invest.
Tools:
Significance:
Limita ons:
o May not account for short-term market fluctua ons or specula ve trends.
Example: An investor uses fundamental analysis to determine that a stock priced at ₹100 has an
intrinsic value of ₹120, indica ng it’s undervalued and a good buy.
3. Macroeconomic Analysis
Defini on: Macroeconomic analysis examines the overall economy to understand how broad
economic factors affect investments. It looks at na onal and global trends that influence markets.
Key Factors:
2. Infla on:
Impact: Moderate infla on supports growth; high infla on reduces purchasing power
and hurts fixed-income investments like bonds.
Example: High infla on may lead investors to avoid bonds and choose stocks or gold.
3. Interest Rates:
Impact: High interest rates increase borrowing costs, slowing business growth; low
rates encourage investment.
Example: Lower RBI rates boost stock prices as companies borrow and expand.
4. Unemployment Rate:
Example: Low unemployment boosts retail stocks due to increased consumer demand.
5. Exchange Rates:
Impact: A strong rupee benefits importers but hurts exporters; a weak rupee boosts
export-driven industries.
7. Global Events:
Poli cal stability, trade policies, or global crises (e.g., pandemics) affect markets.
Example: A global recession reduces demand for Indian exports, impac ng stocks.
Significance:
o Helps investors understand the big picture and predict market trends.
Example: An investor avoids stocks during high infla on and rising interest rates, shi ing to gold as a
hedge.
4. Industry Analysis
Defini on: Industry analysis evaluates the performance, growth poten al, and compe ve
environment of a specific industry (e.g., IT, pharmaceu cals, automo ve) to iden fy investment
opportuni es.
Objec ve:
Key Factors:
Stages:
Impact: Growth industries offer high returns but higher risks; mature industries are
safer.
Example: Inves ng in renewable energy (growth stage) for high poten al.
2. Compe on:
Threat of New Entrants: High entry barriers (e.g., capital needs) favor exis ng
firms.
4. Regulatory Environment:
Example: Stricter environmental laws benefit renewable energy firms but hurt fossil
fuel companies.
5. Technological Changes:
Example: Rising demand for semiconductors with limited produc on capacity benefits
chipmakers.
Significance:
Limita ons:
Example: An investor chooses the pharmaceu cal industry for investment due to its growth stage,
driven by rising healthcare demand and innova on.
5. Company Analysis
Defini on: Company analysis evaluates the financial health, performance, and future poten al of a
specific company to determine if its securi es (e.g., stocks, bonds) are worth inves ng in.
Objec ve:
o Es mate the company’s intrinsic value and compare it to its market price.
Key Components:
1. Financial Analysis:
Key Ra os:
Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ra o: [ \text{P/E} = \frac{\text{Market Price per
Share}}{\text{Earnings per Share}} ]
Example: A company with high ROE and low debt is financially strong.
2. Management Quality:
Evaluate the competence, vision, and track record of the leadership team.
Example: A company with a CEO known for successful turnarounds is a rac ve.
3. Business Model:
Assess how the company makes money and its compe ve advantage.
5. Growth Prospects:
6. Risk Factors:
Iden fy risks like compe on, regulatory changes, or opera onal issues.
Example: A company reliant on one product faces high business risk.
Process:
4. Es mate intrinsic value using methods like Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) or rela ve valua on (e.g.,
comparing P/E ra os).
5. Decide if the stock is undervalued (buy), overvalued (sell), or fairly priced (hold).
Significance:
Limita ons:
Example: An investor analyzes a company’s low P/E ra o, strong ROE, and innova ve product pipeline,
concluding its stock is undervalued and a good buy.
Unit 4
Technical Analysis
Technical Analysis is a method used to evaluate and predict the future price movements of securi es (e.g.,
stocks, bonds, commodi es) by analyzing historical price and volume data, primarily through charts and
indicators. It focuses on market trends and pa erns rather than the intrinsic value of an asset. This sec on
explains technical analysis and its key components in simple terms.
Defini on: Technical analysis is the study of past market data, such as price movements and trading
volume, to forecast future price trends and make investment decisions. It assumes that price pa erns
repeat and that market psychology influences prices.
1. Prices Reflect All Informa on: All relevant informa on (economic, company-specific, etc.) is
already included in the price of a security.
2. Prices Move in Trends: Prices follow trends (upward, downward, or sideways) that can be
iden fied and used for predic ons.
3. History Repeats Itself: Price pa erns and behaviors tend to recur due to consistent investor
psychology.
Objec ve:
Tools:
Significance:
Limita ons:
o Relies on historical data, which may not always predict the future.
Example: A trader no ces a stock’s price rising consistently on a chart and buys it, expec ng the
upward trend to con nue.
2. Fundamental vs. Technical Analysis
Both fundamental analysis and technical analysis are used to evaluate investments, but they differ in
approach, focus, and applica on.
Fundamental Analysis:
o Defini on: Evaluates an investment’s intrinsic value by analyzing economic, industry, and
company-specific factors (e.g., revenue, profits, GDP).
o Data Used:
o Example: Buying a stock because its low P/E ra o and strong earnings suggest it’s undervalued.
o Strengths:
o Weaknesses:
Technical Analysis:
o Defini on: Analyzes historical price and volume data to predict future price movements using
charts and indicators.
o Data Used:
o Objec ve: Iden fy op mal entry and exit points for trades.
o Example: Buying a stock when its price breaks above a resistance level on a chart.
o Strengths:
o Weaknesses:
Comparison:
o Data: Fundamental uses financial and economic data; technical uses price and volume data.
Combined Use:
o Many investors combine both: use fundamental analysis to select strong companies and
technical analysis to me entry/exit points.
o Example: An investor picks a fundamentally strong company like Reliance Industries and uses
technical analysis to buy when the stock shows an upward trend.
Significance:
o Understanding both approaches allows investors to choose the method that fits their goals
and risk tolerance.
Example: A long-term investor uses fundamental analysis to buy a stock, while a day trader uses
technical analysis to profit from daily price swings.
3. Char ng Techniques
Char ng techniques involve using visual representa ons of price and volume data to iden fy trends,
pa erns, and poten al trading opportuni es. Charts are the founda on of technical analysis.
Types of Charts:
1. Line Chart:
Example: A line chart shows a stock’s price rising steadily over six months.
2. Bar Chart:
Displays the open, high, low, and close prices for each me period (e.g., day, week).
3. Candles ck Chart:
Similar to a bar chart but uses “candles” to show open, high, low, and close prices.
Components:
Body: The range between open and close prices (filled for a price drop, hollow
for a price rise).
1. Trend Pa erns:
2. Reversal Pa erns:
Head and Shoulders: Signals a trend reversal (e.g., from uptrend to downtrend).
Double Top/Bo om: Indicates resistance (top) or support (bo om) levels.
Example: A head and shoulders pa ern in a stock chart warns of a price drop.
Triangles (Ascending, Descending, Symmetrical): Suggest the trend will con nue a er
a breakout.
Flags and Pennants: Indicate a brief pause before the trend resumes.
Significance:
o Charts help traders visualize price movements and iden fy ac onable pa erns.
Limita ons:
Example: A trader uses a candles ck chart to spot a bullish engulfing pa ern and buys a stock,
expec ng a price increase.
4. Technical Indicators
Technical indicators are mathema cal calcula ons based on price, volume, or open interest data, used to
predict future price movements and confirm trends.
1. Trend Indicators:
Examples:
Types:
Use: A crossover (e.g., 50-day SMA crossing above 200-day SMA) signals
a buy.
Example: A stock’s 50-day EMA rises above its 200-day EMA, indica ng
an uptrend.
Use: A bullish crossover (MACD line above signal line) suggests buying.
Examples:
Stochas c Oscillator:
3. Volume Indicators:
Examples:
Volume Oscillator:
Examples:
Bollinger Bands:
Plots two standard devia ons above and below a moving average.
Use: Prices touching the upper band suggest overbought; lower band
suggests oversold.
Significance:
o Help traders make data-driven decisions rather than relying solely on intui on.
Limita ons:
o Over-reliance on one indicator may lead to poor decisions; combining indicators is be er.
Example: A trader uses RSI (oversold at 28) and a bullish MACD crossover to confirm a buy signal for
a stock.
Tes ng technical trading rules involves evalua ng the effec veness of trading strategies based on technical
analysis to determine their profitability and reliability.
Purpose:
o Verify if a trading rule (e.g., buy when RSI < 30) consistently generates profits.
Methods:
1. Backtes ng:
Apply the trading rule to historical price data to simulate past performance.
Process:
Select a rule (e.g., buy when 50-day SMA crosses above 200-day SMA).
Test the rule in real- me markets without real money (simulated trades).
Process:
Apply the rule to current market data.
Example: Paper trading a Bollinger Band strategy for 3 months to assess its success.
3. Walk-Forward Analysis:
Combine backtes ng and forward tes ng by op mizing the rule on past data and
tes ng it on subsequent periods.
Key Metrics:
Significance:
Limita ons:
Example: A trader backtests an RSI-based strategy, finding it yields 8% annual returns with a 60% win
rate, and forward tests it to confirm reliability.
Evalua on of technical analysis assesses its effec veness, reliability, and limita ons as a tool for investment
decisions.
Strengths:
2. Versa lity: Applicable to any market (stocks, forex, commodi es) and meframe (daily,
hourly).
Example: A head and shoulders pa ern reflects shi ing sen ment.
Weaknesses:
Example: Two traders may disagree on a triangle pa ern’s breakout direc on.
3. Ignores Fundamentals: Misses cri cal factors like earnings or economic condi ons.
5. Over-Reliance Risk: Blindly following signals without context can lead to losses.
Example: Buying based on RSI without checking news may miss a company scandal.
Cri ques:
o Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH): Argues that prices reflect all informa on, making
technical analysis ineffec ve. However, behavioral finance supports technical analysis by
highligh ng irra onal investor behavior.
o Random Walk Theory: Suggests price movements are random, challenging the predictability
of pa erns.
Empirical Evidence:
o Studies show mixed results: some strategies (e.g., momentum-based) work in certain markets,
but consistent outperformance is rare.
o Success depends on market condi ons, trader discipline, and risk management.
o Use mul ple indicators to confirm signals (e.g., RSI with MACD).
o Effec ve for short-term traders and ming trades, but requires skill and cau on.
Example: A trader evaluates technical analysis, finding it useful for day trading stocks with RSI and
candles ck pa erns, but combines it with fundamental checks to avoid risky companies.
Unit 5
Por olio Analysis involves evalua ng a collec on of investments (a por olio) to op mize returns while
managing risk. It includes selec ng the best mix of assets, diversifying to reduce risk, and evalua ng
performance to ensure goals are met. This sec on explains por olio-related concepts in simple terms.
Defini on: A por olio is a collec on of financial assets, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real
estate, or cash, held by an investor to achieve financial goals like wealth growth or income genera on.
Key Points:
Example: An investor’s por olio might include 50% stocks, 30% bonds, 10% gold, and 10% fixed
deposits.
Investors hold por olios for several reasons to achieve financial objec ves while managing risk.
Key Reasons:
1. Diversifica on:
Spreading investments across assets reduces the impact of a single asset’s poor
performance.
Example: If stocks fall, bonds in the por olio may remain stable.
2. Risk Management:
Combining assets with different risk levels lowers overall por olio risk.
4. Goal Alignment:
Por olios can be customized for specific goals (e.g., re rement, buying a house).
Example: A young investor’s por olio focuses on growth, while a re ree’s emphasizes
income.
5. Flexibility:
6. Liquidity:
Including liquid assets (e.g., stocks) ensures access to cash when needed.
Significance:
o Por olios provide a structured way to grow wealth while minimizing risks.
Example: An investor holds a por olio of stocks, bonds, and gold to diversify risk, earn returns, and
save for re rement.
3. Diversifica on Analysis
Defini on: Diversifica on is the strategy of spreading investments across different assets, industries,
or regions to reduce risk without significantly sacrificing returns.
Key Concepts:
o Systema c Risk: Market-wide risk (e.g., economic downturns) that cannot be diversified away.
o Unsystema c Risk: Asset-specific risk (e.g., a company’s failure) that can be reduced through
diversifica on.
o Diversifica on lowers unsystema c risk by including assets with low or nega ve correla ons
(i.e., they don’t move in the same direc on).
Limita ons:
Example: An investor diversifies by holding stocks in IT and consumer goods, bonds, and gold,
reducing the impact of an IT sector downturn.
Defini on: Developed by Harry Markowitz, this model provides a framework for op mizing a
por olio by balancing risk and return through diversifica on. It introduced the concept of the efficient
fron er.
Assump ons:
1. Investors are ra onal and aim to maximize returns for a given risk level.
Specific Model:
o Por olio Expected Return: The weighted average of individual asset returns.
Formula: [ E(R_p) = \sum (w_i \cdot E(R_i)) ] Where ( E(R_p) ) = por olio expected
return, ( w_i ) = weight of asset ( i ), ( E(R_i) ) = expected return of asset ( i ).
Example: A por olio with 50% Stock A (10% return) and 50% Stock B (6% return): [
E(R_p) = (0.5 \cdot 10%) + (0.5 \cdot 6%) = 8% ]
o Por olio Risk: Measured by the standard devia on of por olio returns, accoun ng for asset
correla ons.
Example: If Stock A and B have standard devia ons of 15% and 10%, weights of 50%
each, and correla on of 0.5, por olio risk is calculated accordingly.
o A curve represen ng all possible por olios that offer the highest return for each level of risk.
o Por olios on the efficient fron er are op mal; those below it are subop mal.
o Example: A por olio with 60% stocks and 40% bonds may lie on the efficient fron er if it
maximizes return for its risk level.
o Por olios on the efficient fron er, offering the best risk-return trade-off.
o Example: A por olio with 8% return and 10% risk may be efficient if no other por olio offers
higher returns for the same risk.
o Por olios that use borrowed funds to increase investment size, amplifying both returns and
risks.
o Example: Borrowing ₹50,000 to add to a ₹100,000 por olio increases poten al gains but also
losses.
o Specific por olios on the efficient fron er where asset weights change significantly (e.g.,
shi ing from 100% bonds to including stocks).
o Used to construct other efficient por olios by combining corner por olios.
o Example: A corner por olio might be 100% bonds; another might be 80% stocks and 20%
bonds.
Significance:
Limita ons:
o Assumes perfect informa on and ra onal investors, which may not hold.
o Requires accurate es mates of returns, variances, and correla ons, which are uncertain.
Example: An investor uses Markowitz’s model to create a por olio of stocks and bonds on the efficient
fron er, achieving 9% return with 12% risk.
5. Sharpe’s Single Index Model
Defini on: Developed by William Sharpe, the Single Index Model simplifies por olio analysis by
assuming that asset returns are influenced by a single market index (e.g., Ni y 50). It reduces the
complexity of Markowitz’s model.
Key Concepts:
Model Formula:
o Asset Return: [ R_i = \alpha_i + \beta_i R_m + e_i ] Where ( R_i ) = return of asset ( i ), ( \alpha_i
) = asset’s excess return (independent of market), ( \beta_i ) = sensi vity to market return, (
R_m ) = market return, ( e_i ) = random error (unsystema c risk).
Assump ons:
Steps:
1. Es mate ( \alpha ), ( \beta ), and unsystema c risk for each asset using historical data.
2. Calculate expected por olio return and risk based on asset weights.
3. Op mize by selec ng assets that maximize return for a given risk level.
Significance:
Limita ons:
Example: An investor uses the Single Index Model to construct a por olio with stocks ed to the Ni y
50, calcula ng a por olio beta of 1.2 and expected return of 10%.
6. Por olio Evalua on Measures
Por olio evalua on measures assess the performance of a por olio by comparing its returns to its risk,
helping investors determine if the por olio manager has outperformed the market or peers.
Defini on: Developed by William Sharpe, the Sharpe Ra o measures the excess return per unit of
total risk (standard devia on).
Formula: [ \text{Sharpe Ra o} = \frac{R_p - R_f}{\sigma_p} ] Where ( R_p ) = por olio return, ( R_f )
= risk-free rate (e.g., government bond yield), ( \sigma_p ) = por olio standard devia on.
Interpreta on:
Example: A por olio with a 12% return, 5% risk-free rate, and 10% standard devia on: [ \text{Sharpe
Ra o} = \frac{12 - 5}{10} = 0.7 ]
Significance:
Limita on:
Defini on: Developed by Jack Treynor, the Treynor Ra o measures the excess return per unit of
systema c risk (beta).
Interpreta on:
Example: A por olio with a 12% return, 5% risk-free rate, and beta of 1.2: [ \text{Treynor Ra o} =
\frac{12 - 5}{1.2} = 5.83 ]
Significance:
Limita on:
Defini on: Developed by Michael Jensen, Jensen’s Alpha measures the por olio’s excess return over
the return predicted by the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).
Formula: [ \alpha_p = R_p - [R_f + \beta_p (R_m - R_f)] ] Where ( R_m ) = market return, ( \alpha_p )
= Jensen’s Alpha.
Interpreta on:
o Posi ve alpha = por olio outperforms CAPM expecta ons (superior management).
Example: A por olio with a 12% return, 5% risk-free rate, beta of 1.2, and market return of 10%: [
\alpha_p = 12 - [5 + 1.2 (10 - 5)] = 12 - [5 + 6] = 1% ]
Significance:
Limita on:
Example: A mutual fund with a posi ve alpha of 2% indicates the manager’s skill in bea ng the
market.
MWCMC Mysuru