Given the academic research supporting the efficiency of the stock market, which of the following is the least accurate description of a portfolio manager's role in an efficient market?
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A. B. C.C
In an efficient market, the prices of stocks and other securities reflect all available information, making it difficult for investors to consistently outperform the market through active trading or stock selection. The efficient market hypothesis suggests that it is challenging to achieve abnormal returns consistently, as the market quickly and accurately incorporates new information into stock prices.
Based on the given options, let's analyze each one to determine which description is the least accurate in the context of a portfolio manager's role in an efficient market:
A. Identifying and specifying a client's objectives and constraints: This description accurately reflects a portfolio manager's role in an efficient market. Regardless of market efficiency, it is essential for a portfolio manager to understand and align with their client's investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, liquidity needs, and any other constraints they may have.
B. Specifying an explicit investment strategy to meet the client's needs: This description is also accurate in the context of a portfolio manager's role in an efficient market. Although it may be challenging to consistently outperform the market, a portfolio manager's responsibility is to develop an investment strategy that aligns with the client's goals and risk profile. The strategy may involve selecting suitable asset classes, diversification, and considering factors like expected returns, risk management, and cost-efficiency.
C. Diversifying the client's portfolio across all asset classes to eliminate systematic risk: This description is the least accurate in the context of an efficient market. In an efficient market, diversification across asset classes alone does not eliminate systematic risk. Systematic risk refers to risks inherent in the overall market and cannot be diversified away, as it affects the entire market or a particular segment of it. Examples of systematic risk include economic recessions, political events, interest rate changes, and market-wide shocks.
While diversification can reduce unsystematic risk (also known as specific or idiosyncratic risk) through investing in a broad range of assets within each asset class, it does not eliminate systematic risk. Even with a diversified portfolio, the overall market conditions and macroeconomic factors can still impact the portfolio's performance.
Therefore, option C is the least accurate description of a portfolio manager's role in an efficient market because diversification alone cannot eliminate systematic risk.