R31 BB Example9

Client has a balanced portfolio, Equity/Bond: 70/30 Risk tolerance: Increases more than proportionately with changes in wealth View: speculate on a flat market or moderate bull market BB Q: What rebalanced strategy is most appropriate for the client? Solution: Buy and Hold My thoughts: From risk perspetive: it should choose CPPI From market veiw perspetive: should choose Buy and Hold My Q: -How to deal with this kinds of question? - How Buy and hold can increase risk more than proportionately?

It may be useful to think of these on a continuum. With a flat market CPPI would perform the worst, a constant mix the best, and buy and hold is always in the middle (flat or trending). With a buy and hold strategy you get the best of both worlds: an increase in risk tolerance because of increased equity % if increasing, and a moderate performance from the rebalancing factor (ie., not - middle of the road).

Thanks, but how Buy and hold can increase risk more than proportionately

In an oscillating market CPPI would perform the worst. If the market is generally flat and non-oscillating (not in the question, I know) rebalancing would be infrequent if at all, and the portfolios would perform the same. I think the key here is the with the risk tolerance; it clearly suggests CPPI is the better option

Thanks kjames05! Agree with you. But the BB says it should be Buy and Hold?

It’s flat and Not oscillating,; And it’s a moderate bull market (you can add to this that equity is already at 70%, you dont want to stretch it more) This is a Buy and Hold turf. Buy and Hold have the least transaction cost, management fees, and Tax impact. A “Moderate” bull market wouldn’t justify opting for CPPI. On Constant Mix, it works with Oscillating market.

What about this for a question: a trending oscillating market.

Up trending oscillating market. Buy and hold.

Well when you solve for such questions think of how the result would be in using all of the three methods. First if we used CPPI, the return will be the worst in non trending market. So your risk tolerance should be deteriorating because of the volatility of the return. Now if you use constant mix. The constant mix is obviously the best in non trending market but unfortunately the risk tolerance will not increase or decrease with wealth. Now buy and hold the return will be better than CPPI given that there is no extra buy or sell activities and risk tolerance will definitely increase as your wealth increase. Make sense ?

Thanks. If I see flat market, I will definetely not choose CPPI!!