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Friday, 13 September 2013

INDEX CONSTRUCTION ISSUES IN STOCK MARKET

INDEX CONSTRUCTION ISSUES

A good index is a trade-off between diversification and liquidity. A well diversified index is more representative of the market/economy.

However there are diminishing returns to diversification. Going from 10 stocks to 20 stocks gives a sharp reduction in risk. Going from 50 stocks to 100 stocks gives very little reduction in risk. Going beyond 100 stocks gives almost zero reduction in risk.

Hence, there is little to gain by diversifying beyond a point. The more serious problem lies in the stocks that we take into an index when it is broadened. If the stock is illiquid, the observed prices yield contaminated information and actually worsen an index.