The historical nominal returns for stock A were -8 percent, +10 percent, and +22 percent. The nominal returns for the market portfolio were +6 percent, +18 percent, and 24 percent during this same time. Calculate the beta for stock A.

When calculating the bountiful returns that retirees allegedly would glean from stock investments, privateers use rosy projections about a continually booming market. but when predicting bankruptcy for social security, they switch to pessimistic projections of a low-growth economy with abnormally low payments into the fund. in fact, far from going broke, social security produces enormous surpluses. from __ to americans paid more in social security taxes than were paid out in benefits. according to the congressional budget office, the social security trust fund will remain solvent until at least social security is the only federal program that produces about $150 billion yearly surplus, the only program that shows every sign of being selfsupporting and solvent for over thirty years to come yet is repeatedly described by its enemies as being in danger of insolvency?

Nellie lumpkin, who suffered from dementia, was admitted to the picayune convalescent center, a nursing home. because of her mental condition, her daughter, beverly mcdaniel, signed the admissions agreement. it included a clause requiring the par- ties to submit any dispute to arbitration. after lumpkin left the center two years later, she filed a suit against picayune to recover damages for mistreatment and malpractice. [covenant health & rehabilitation of picayune, lp v. lumpkin, 23 so.2d 1092 (miss. app. 2009)] (see page 91.) 1. is it ethical for this dispute—involving negligent medical care, not a breach of a commercial contract—to be forced into arbitration? why or why not? discuss whether medical facilities should be able to impose arbitration when there is generally no bargaining over such terms.

10. which of the following is true regarding preretirement inflation? a. defined-benefit plans provide more inflation protection than defined-contribution plans. b. because of preretirement inflation, possible investment-related growth is increased for defined-contribution plans. c. all types of benefits are designed to cope with preretirement inflation. d. preretirement inflation is generally reflected in the increase in an employee's compensation level over a working career.