Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

2001

College/Unit

Chambers College of Business and Economics

Document Number

99-01

Department/Program/Center

Economics

Abstract

This paper relates and extends two strands of literature on behavioral implications of utility function features. A class of utility functions switching preference no more than once between W0 r~ and W0 s~ is identified (r~ and s~ being per-dollar returns of alternative portfolios), as is the subclass permitting only switches to the higher-mean portfolio. This latter subclass, which permits expected utility to be expressed in terms of the mean and suitably defined relative risk of final wealth, never decreases expected per-dollar final wealth and never decreases relative risk of final wealth in optimal n-asset portfolios as initial wealth rises.

Included in

Economics Commons

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