CSI CSC2 - Canadian Securities Course Exam 2

Specific risk, also called unsystematic or diversifiable risk, is the risk associated with individual companies or industries. It includes risks such as poor management decisions, product failures, labour disruptions, litigation, or company-specific earnings weakness. By holding a broadly diversified portfolio such as all stocks in the S & P/TSX Composite Index, an investor can theoretically diversify away company-specific risk because negative events affecting one company may be offset by performance from others. Systematic risk cannot be eliminated through diversification because it affects the whole market, such as interest rate changes, recessions, inflation shocks, or broad market declines. Default risk is more directly associated with credit instruments. Therefore, the risk theoretically eliminated through broad equity diversification is specific risk.

For a young couple planning to buy a house in the near future, the primary investment consideration is safety and liquidity. Government Treasury bills (T-bills) are most suitable for the following reasons:

Safety :

T-bills are backed by the government and are considered virtually risk-free investments. For individuals seeking to preserve capital for a short-term goal like a home down payment, this feature is critical.

Liquidity :

T-bills are highly liquid instruments, allowing the couple to access their funds quickly if needed. They trade in active secondary markets, ensuring that they can sell their holdings with minimal price impact.

Short-Term Nature :

T-bills have maturities ranging from a few days to a year, making them ideal for short-term investment horizons like a pending house purchase.

Avoiding Risk :

Investments like corporate bonds, bank stocks, or balanced portfolios carry higher risk due to potential market volatility or credit issues, which are unsuitable for a short-term goal.

References to Study Documents :

Volume 1, Chapter 6, " Fixed-Income Securities: Features and Types, " details the safety and liquidity of Treasury bills​.

Volume 2, Chapter 16, " The Portfolio Management Process, " emphasizes aligning investment objectives with time horizons and risk tolerance​.

To reduce a national deficit, governments can increase taxation to generate more revenue. This measure, combined with controlled spending, helps reduce the shortfall between revenues and expenditures.

B. Increase government spending: This would increase the deficit further unless matched by revenue increases.

C. Decrease taxation: This would reduce revenue and worsen the deficit.

D. Increase interest rates: This impacts monetary policy and borrowing costs but does not directly reduce a fiscal deficit.

Distressed debt investing focuses on the debt securities of companies experiencing financial difficulty, restructuring, default risk, or bankruptcy pressure. Investors buy these securities at deep discounts because the issuer is troubled, then seek returns through recovery, restructuring, asset sales, or improved credit conditions. This is different from a leveraged buyout, where investors acquire control of a company using significant borrowed funds. Growth capital provides financing to expanding companies, usually without taking full control. Late-stage venture capital supports private companies that are closer to maturity or public listing. Since the question specifically refers to fixed-income securities of public companies in financial trouble, distressed debt is the correct private equity-related strategy.

Responsible investing (RI) incorporates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into investment decisions. This approach combines values-based investing (aligning investments with personal or institutional ethics) and valuation-based investing (analyzing ESG factors to assess potential risks and returns).

A. It is unavailable with certain asset classes like segregated funds: RI is increasingly available across various asset classes, including segregated funds.

B. ESG factors are standardized across the investment industry: ESG standards vary and are not uniformly applied.

D. It bases investment decisions exclusively on environmental factors: RI considers environmental, social, and governance factors, not just environmental concerns.

Defensive industries are less sensitive to economic cycles. They tend to perform consistently regardless of economic conditions because they provide essential goods and services that consumers require regardless of their financial situation. Banking and utilities fall under this category as:

Banking ensures essential financial services.

Utilities (e.g., electricity, water) provide necessary services.

Industries like energy and materials are more cyclical , reacting strongly to economic fluctuations. Hence, D. Banking and Utilities is the correct choice.