This paper is focused on building investment portfolios by using the Markowitz Portfolio Theory (MPT). Derivation based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is used to calculate the weights of individual securities in portfolios. The calculated portfolios include a portfolio copying the benchmark made using the CAPM model, portfolio with low and high beta coefficients, and a random portfolio. Only stocks were selected for the examined sample from all the asset classes. Stocks in each portfolio are put together according to predefined criteria. All stocks were selected from Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index which serves as a benchmark, too. Portfolios were compared based on their risk and return profiles. The results of this work will provide general recommendations on the optimal approach to choose securities for an investor’s portfolio.

This focus of this paper are the effects and implications of a change in the money supply for share price indices in the USA during 1959–2011. The money supply will be measured by the M2 and MZM aggregates (money with zero maturity). The US stock market is represented by the Dow Jones Industrial Average index. The objective of this paper is to find, describe and evaluate the effects of changes to the money supply (M2 and MZM) on the US stock market. A partial objective of this paper is to determine whether a change in the monetary aggregate shows in the stock index immediately or with a delay of several weeks. Another aim is to determine whether asset prices influence the money supply.

This paper is focused on building investment portfolios by using the Markowitz Portfolio Theory (MPT). Derivation based on the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is used to calculate the weights of individual securities in portfolios. The calculated portfolios include a portfolio copying the benchmark made using the CAPM model, portfolio with low and high beta coefficients, and a random portfolio. Only stocks were selected for the examined sample from all the asset classes. Stocks in each portfolio are put together according to predefined criteria. All stocks were selected from Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) index which serves as a benchmark, too. Portfolios were compared based on their risk and return profiles. The results of this work will provide general recommendations on the optimal approach to choose securities for an investor's portfolio. KeywordsMarkowitz Portfolio Theory, Modern Portfolio Theory, Capital Asset Pricing Model, CAPM, diversification, stock portfolio Introduction Investing in capital markets is one of the main activities of large number of economic subjects. This activity was particularly driven by development of information technology as well as deregulation and globalization, which is typical of the current financial markets. The development of information technology has enabled even small retail investors, who generally do not have the appropriate knowledge and experience, to take advantage of the direct purchase or sale of securities on the capital market. Driven by different motives, investors allocate their available resources to the assets and through selected investment strategies they seek to derive maximum value from invested funds and at the same time eliminate the threat of losses. Different models for assets valuation describing the relationship between risk and return on the given investment can be used as a tool to support investment decision-making. One of the most common methods in designing strategies and building portfolios is the Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). Although it is based on simplifying assumptions, it can be successfully used in portfolio analysis for explaining the relationship between the return and risk of individual portfolio components. The Capital Market Theory, which is closely related to the MPT, then came up with the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), which extended the existing theory by an equilibrium view of the asset market. In spite of the fact that the capital asset pricing model rests on simplifying assumptions and has been tested many times since its inception in the 60s, but its general applicability was not confirmed, it is currently among the most widely used models and can be used to manage investment strategies and build investment portfolios. The model is based on the equilibrium between the risk and return, or more precisely the risk (represented by beta coefficient) of a specific title is directly proportional to the return achieved on the given investment. It is these findings about this approach and the model, or its pri...

The article is focused on the use of technical analysis and it’s indicators. The main aim is the evaluation of technical analysis for selected index instruments which are traded on NYSE. The secondary objective is the optimization of indicator’s parameters of technical analysis and subsequent comparison of profitability of business strategies based on these optimized parameters. The empirical analysis includes the backtesting of optimized indicators and comparison with the default settings of these indicators. The optimization and backtesting were performed on cyclical stocks, represented by stock index S&P 500 Financial from 11/1/2014 to 10/31/2015.

The paper focuses on empirical testing and the use of the regular investment, particularly on the value averaging investment method on real data from the US stock market in the years 1990-2013. The 23-year period was chosen because of a consistently interesting situation in the market and so this regular investment method could be tested to see how it works in a bull (expansion) period and a bear (recession) period. The analysis is focused on results obtained by using this investment method from the viewpoint of return and risk on selected investment horizons (short-term 1 year, medium-term 5 years and long-term 10 years). The selected aim is reached by using the ratio between profi t and risk. The revenue-risk profi le is the ratio of the average annual profi t rate measured for each investment by the internal rate of return and average annual risk expressed by selective standard deviation. The obtained results show that regular investment is suitable for a long investment horizon or the longer the investment horizon, the better the revenue-risk ratio (Sharpe ratio). According to the results obtained, specifi c investment recommendations are presented in the conclusion, e.g. if this investment method is suitable for a long investment period, if it is better to use value averaging for a growing, sinking or sluggish market, etc.