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Bayesian Inference and Portfolio Efficiency

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  • Shmuel Kandel
  • Robert McCulloch
  • Robert F. Stambaugh

Abstract

A Bayesian approach is used to investigate a sample's information about a portfolio's degree of inefficiency. With standard diffuse priors, posterior distributions for measures of portfolio inefficiency can concentrate well away from values consistent with efficiency, even when the portfolio is exactly efficient in the sample. The data indicate that the NYSE-AMEX market portfolio is rather inefficient in the presence of a riskless asset, although this conclusion is justified only after an analysis using informative priors. Including a riskless asset significantly reduces any sample's ability to produce posterior distributions supporting small degrees of inefficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Shmuel Kandel & Robert McCulloch & Robert F. Stambaugh, 1993. "Bayesian Inference and Portfolio Efficiency," NBER Technical Working Papers 0134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberte:0134
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    References listed on IDEAS

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