Home > Glossary > Beta

Meaning / Definition of

Beta

Categories: Investing and Trading, Stocks,

The measure of an asset's risk in relation to the market (for example, the S&P500) or to an alternative benchmark or factors. Roughly speaking, a security with a beta of 1.5, will have move, on average, 1.5 times the market return. [More precisely, that stock's excess return (over and above a short-term money market rate) is expected to move 1.5 times the market excess return).] according to asset pricing theory, beta represents the type of risk, systematic risk, that cannot be diversified away. When using beta, there are a number of issues that you need to be aware of: (1) betas may change through time; (2) betas may be different depending on the direction of the market (i.e. betas may be greater for down moves in the market rather than up moves); (3) the estimated beta will be biased if the security does not frequently trade; (4) the beta is not necessarily a complete measure of risk (you may need multiple betas). Also, note that the beta is a measure of co-movement, not volatility. It is possible for a security to have a zero beta and higher volatility than the market.

Featured term of the day

Definition / Meaning of

Increase

Categories: Banking,

nounan act of becoming larger ExamplesThere have been several increases in tax or tax increases in the last few years. • There is an automatic 5 per cent increase in price or price increase on January 1st. • Profits showed a 10 per cent increase or an increase of 10 per cent on last year.Usageincrease in the cost of livinga rise in the annual cost of livinga higher salary Examplesincrease in pay or pay increase • The government hopes to hold salary increases to 3 per cent.Usageshe had two increases last yearher salary went up twiceverbto grow bigger or higher ExamplesProfits have increased faster than the increase in the rate of inflation. • Exports to Africa have increased by more than 25 per cent. • The price of oil has increased twice in the past week.Usageto increase in priceto cost moreUsageto increase in size or valueto become larger or more valuableto make something bigger or higherUsagethe company increased her salary to £50,000the company gave her a rise in salary to £50,000"...turnover has the potential to be increased to over 1 million dollars with energetic management and very little capital" [Australian Financial Review]"...competition is steadily increasing and could affect profit margins as the company tries to retain its market share" [Citizen (Ottawa)]

Most popular terms

1. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Of 2008
2. Retired Directors Liability Policies
3. Sell Short
4. Life Settlement
5. Beta
6. 401(k)
7. Expiration Cycle
8. Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan
9. Hope Scholarship Credit
10. Circuit Breaker

Search a term

Keyword:

Browse by alphabet

ABCDEFG
HIJKLMN
OPQRSTU
VWXYZ#

Browse by category

Accounting
Banking
Bankruptcy Assistance
Bonds and Treasuries
Brokerages
Business and Management
Compliance and Governance
Credit and Debt
E-commerce
Economics
Estate Planning
Forex
Fraud
Fundamental Analysis
Futures
Global
Insurance
International Trade
Investing and Trading
Ipos
Legal
Loan and Mortgage
Mergers and Acquisitions
Mutual Funds
Operation and Production
Options
Patent
Personnel Management
Real Estate
Retirement and Pension
Statistics and Risk Management
Stocks
Strategies
Tax
Technical Analysis
Venture Capital