You have the following data on three stocks shown below. You decide to use the data on these stocks to form an index, and you want to find the average earned rate of return for 2008 on your index. If you follow the averaging procedure used to calculate the S&P 500 Index return, what would your index’s rate of return be? Hints: Rates of return are based on beginning-of-year prices, and the S&P Index is weighted by market values of the companies in the index.
Shares
Beginning Ending Outstanding
Stock Dividend Price Price (millions)
A $1.50 $30.00 $32.00 5.00
B $2.00 $28.50 $27.00 4.50
C $0.75 $20.00 $24.00 20.00
a. 16.07%
b. 16.92%
c. 17.76%
d. 18.65%
e. 19.59%