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On the inefficiency of portfolio insurance and caveats to the mean/downside-risk framework

Author

Listed:
  • Lucas, André

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculteit der Economische Wetenschappen en Econometrie (Free University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics Sciences, Business Administration and Economitrics)

  • Dert, Cees L.

Abstract

Portfolio insurance strategies based on options typically treat the investment in the risky asset, e.g., stock, as fixed. We show in a mean/downside-risk framework that such a strategy is inefficient. Using at the money put options, expected returns can be increased by more than 250 basis points without taking on more risk. Gains can become arbitrarily large when one uses options with extremely high strike prices. This is due to a serious caveat to the mean/downside-risk framework that is typically adopted in the literature by substituting downside-risk measures for standard risk measures such as the variance of returns. These pathologic results vanish when one maximizes an appropriately chosen HARA utility function. In this framework, fixing the holding of the risky asset in advance leads to efficiency losses that vary between 250 and 650 basis points depending on the degree of risk aversion.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucas, André & Dert, Cees L., 1998. "On the inefficiency of portfolio insurance and caveats to the mean/downside-risk framework," Serie Research Memoranda 0057, VU University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and Econometrics.
    • Handle: RePEc:vua:wpaper:1998-57
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Philip H. Dybvig, 1988. "Inefficient Dynamic Portfolio Strategies or How to Throw Away a Million Dollars in the Stock Market," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 67-88.
    2. Black, Fischer & Scholes, Myron S, 1973. "The Pricing of Options and Corporate Liabilities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 81(3), pages 637-654, May-June.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    mean/downside-risk efficiency; option strategies; optimal portfolio choice; portfolio insurance; downside-risk.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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