Sunday 20 May 2012

The Sharpe Ratio


Understanding The Sharpe Ratio


 Since the Sharpe ratio was derived in 1966 by William Sharpe, it has been one of the most referenced risk/return measures used in finance, and much of this popularity can be attributed to its simplicity. 

The ratio's credibility was boosted further when Professor Sharpe won a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1990 for his work on the capital asset pricing model (CAPM). In this article, we'll show you how this historic thinker can help bring you profits. (To find out more on this subject, see The Capital Asset Pricing Model: An Overview and The Sharpe Ratio Can Oversimplify Risk.)

The Ratio Defined
Most people with a financial background can quickly comprehend how the Sharpe ratio is calculated and what it represents. The ratio describes how much excess return you are receiving for the extra volatility that you endure for holding a riskier asset. Remember, you always need to be properly compensated for the additional risk you take for not holding a risk-free asset.


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