Stock A has an expected return of 17.8 percent, and Stock B has an expected return of 9.6 percent. However, the risk of Stock A as measured by its variance is 3 times that of Stock B. If the two stocks are combined equally in a portfolio, what would be the portfolio's expected return

13.70%

Explanation:

The expected return of a portfolio is said to be the weighted average of the returns of the individual components,

Given that:

Stock A has an expected return = 17.8%

Stock B has an expected return = 9.6%

the risk of Stock A as measured by its variance is 3 times that of Stock B.

If the two stocks are combined equally in a portfolio;

Then:

The weight of both stocks will be 50% : 50 %

So the portfolio's expected return can be determined as follows:

Expected return for stock A = 50% * 17.8%

Expected return = 0.50 * 17.8%

Expected return = 8.9 %

Expected return for stock B = 50 % * 9.6 %

Expected return for stock B = 0.50 * 9.6%

Expected return for stock B = 4.8%

Expected return of the portfolio = summation of the expected return for both stocks

Expected return of the portfolio = 8.9 % + 4.8%

Expected return of the portfolio = 13.70%