The evolution of stock prices is influenced by the expectations of investors regarding the earning prospects associated to each listed company. One of the key elements of investment decision is the positive relationship between risk and return. Risky securities are preferred to less risky ones...

Stock prices move as corporate earnings prospects change, but they also move as investors change their aversion to risk. One of the central tenets of finance is that investors expect higher return for taking risk. They exchange some of their riskless securities for risky assets because they...