Skip to main content
Log in

Portfolio allocation and asset demand with mean-variance preferences

  • Published:
Theory and Decision Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We analyze the comparative static effects of changes in the means, the standard deviations and the covariance of asset returns in a standard portfolio selection problem when investors have mean variance preferences. Simple and intuitive characterizations in terms of the elasticity of risk aversion are provided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bigelow J. P. (1993) Consistency of mean-variance analysis and expected utility analysis. Economics Letters 43: 187–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain G. (1983) A characterization of the distributions that imply mean-variance utility functions. Journal of Economic Theory 29: 185–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eichner T. (2008) Mean variance vulnerability. Management Science 54: 586–593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eichner T., Wagener A. (2003) Variance vulnerability, background risk and mean variance preferences. General Papers of Risk and Insurance Theory 28: 173–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eichner T., Wagener A. (2009) Multiple risks and mean variance preferences. Operations Research 57: 1142–1154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein L. (1985) Decreasing risk aversion and mean-variance analysis. Econometrica 53: 945–961

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein L. G., Tanny S. M. (1980) Increasing generalized correlation: a definition and some economic consequences. Canadian Journal of Economics 13: 16–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishburn P. C., Porter R. B. (1976) Optimal portfolios with one safe and one risky asset: Effects of changes in rate of return and risk. Management Science 22: 1064–1073

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadar J., Seo T. K. (1990) The effect of shifts in a return distribution on optimal portfolios. International Economic Review 31: 721–736

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lajeri F., Nielsen L. T. (2000) Parametric characterizations of risk aversion and prudence. Economic Theory 15: 469–476

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lajeri-Chaherli F. (2003) Partial derivatives, comparative risk behavior and concavity of utility functions. Mathematical Social Sciences 46: 81–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markowitz H. (1952) Portfolio selection. Journal of Finance 7: 77–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer J. (1987) Two-moment decision models and expected utility maximization. American Economic Review 77: 421–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer J., Ormiston M. B. (1994) The effect on optimal portfolios of changing the return to a risky asset: The case of dependent risky returns. International Economic Review 35: 603–612

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer J., Rasche R. H. (1992) Sufficient conditions for expected utility to imply mean-standard deviation rankings: Empirical evidence concerning the location and scale condition. Economic Journal 102: 91–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen L. T. (1990) Existence of equilibrium in CAPM. Journal of Economic Theory 52: 223–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ormiston M. B., Schlee E. (2001) Mean variance preferences and investor behavior. Economic Journal 111: 849–861

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saha A. (1997) Risk preference estimation in the non-linear standard deviation approach. Economic Inquiry 35: 770–782

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharpe W. F. (1964) Capital asset prices: A theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk. Journal of Finance 19: 425–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tobin J. (1958) Liquidity preference as behavior towards risk. Review of Economic Studies 25: 65–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright R. (1987) Expectation dependence of random variables, with an application in portfolio theory. Theory and Decision 22: 111–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Wagener.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eichner, T., Wagener, A. Portfolio allocation and asset demand with mean-variance preferences. Theory Decis 70, 179–193 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-010-9217-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11238-010-9217-4

Keywords

JEL Classification

Navigation