Question 10.10: What forms of risk affect investments?

The following forms of risk affect investments: interest-rate risk, credit risk, business risk, liquidity risk, prepayment risk, call risk, and inflation risk. Interest-rate risk captures the sensitivity of the value of investments to interest-rate movements, while credit risk reflects the risk of default on either interest or principal payments. Business risk refers to the impact of credit conditions and the economy, while liquidity risk focuses on the price stability and marketability of investments. Prepayment risk is specific to certain types of investments and focuses on the fact that some loans which the securities are based on can be paid off early. Call risk refers to the early retirement of securities and inflation risk refers to their possible loss of purchasing power.