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Basic Question 11 of 16

Investors buy securities on margin ______

I. because a leverage effect is created.
II. because they can earn returns higher than those possible with a cash purchase.
III. despite the fact that they may incur large losses.

User Contributed Comments 6

User Comment
Khadria Why II ?
jwebbs because they are BORROWING money to invest.... its sorta like buying a house and getting a mortgage to do it because otherwise you might not have been able to do it.
Fotsta because they are BORROWING money and they are able to buy more stocks. More stocks- Higher gains or losses
Bududeen the return on your investment is calculated based on the profit/initial investment....if you use your own cash this would increase the denominator thus lower the return in relative terms (in absolute terms the returns remain the same though)....if you borrow the money you used the denominator becomes smaller but the numerator will be higher but the proportionate effect will be a return...for e.g. A used $10,000 to purchase stock now sold for $15,000 the return is 5000/10000 = 50%
But say $4000 is borrowed @ 10% : the return is (5000-400)/6000= 76.67%. This is an increase of 26.67% just because some of the money used is on margin or borrowed money.
I hope this helps!
johntan1979 Read the example in the notes on Microsoft. Possibility of earning 51% instead of 30%, and losing 69%!
jonan203 christ, anyone who asks a one word question at this point simply hasn't taken the time to read & understand the notes!
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I passed! I did not get a chance to tell you before the exam - but your site was excellent. I will definitely take it next year for Level II.
Tamara Schultz

Tamara Schultz

Learning Outcome Statements

compare positions an investor can take in an asset

calculate and interpret the leverage ratio, the rate of return on a margin transaction, and the security price at which the investor would receive a margin call

CFA® 2024 Level I Curriculum, Volume 3, Module 1.