Volatility as a Proxy for Risk
One widely accepted measure of risk is volatility, the amount that an asset’s return varies
through successive time periods, and is most commonly quoted in terms of the standard
deviation of returns. An asset whose return fluctuates dramatically is perceived to have greater
risk because the asset’s value at the time when the investor wishes to sell it is less predictable. In
addition, greater volatility means that, from a statistical perspective, the potential future values of
more volatile assets span a much wider range.