Investment and portfolio Management

Investment and portfolio Management

Eugene Fama from the University of Chicago and Kenneth R. French from the Yale School of Management examined the validity of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in a study that was published in 1992. The CAPM is the most recognized model to explain stock price returns and forms the foundation of Modern Portfolio Theory. Their extensive study showed that, at minimum, the CAPM was not a complete explanation of the factors explaining asset pricing. Their findings also have some implications for investment performance of growth versus value stocks. A summary of their key findings can be found in Rethinking Stock Returns below. After reading this summary, answer the following questions:
1) How did the researchers in the article “Rethinking Stock Returns” define value versus growth stocks? What relevance did their findings have on investing?
2) What factors did Fama and French examine that may explain stock returns?
3) The CAPM is built on a single measure of risk that explains asset returns. What measures of risk did Fama and French conclude were necessary to explain stock returns?
4) Describe the CAPM model and the Fama and French model and the implications of these models for investors.
5) Finally download an academic paper of your choice from the last five years posted on the Financial Economics network of the SSRN website (http://www.ssrn.com/en/index.cfm/fen/). The academic paper must use the Fama-French model in its analysis. Provide a 1000 word summary of the objective of this academic paper of your choice and the reasons why the Fama-French model was used in the paper.