Skewnes & Portfolio Choice

This research paper deals with the use of mean variance as an applied model to test skewness preference among investors. Skewness denotes that observations are not spread symmetrically around the mean (average value). There seems to be no positive correlation between Risk and Return in the long run, as investors use what we call diversification. This is to say that as more and more money is invested into a diversified number of portfolios the skewness will have to reduce the risk. Therefore, it has been seen in the long run investors prefer investments in assets that exhibits less degree of skewness. It has been observed that risk and return does not have a direct correlation, in other words investors will not prefer investing in highly risky assets in the long run. This is because of risk aversion, as more and more wealth is created investors will prefer buying those assets with less risk but stable growth, this is referred to as diversification.