Duration and VaR

Hey guys, need some help with this:

A portfolio's current value is $6 billion and its duration is 1.5 years. Use an example to explain how a portfolio manager can leverage the existing portfolio to double the amount of assets in the original portfolio. Assume that the yield changes for all maturities are the same.

What is the duration of the new leveraged portfolio? If the volatility of yield change is 2%, what are the one-year 99% VaRs of the original and new leveraged portfolios, respectively?

My answer thus far (I think this is correct):

The portfolio manager could use the current assets as collateral to borrow $6 billion, therefore doubling his assets.

VaR (original) = 2.33(1.5)(6 billion)(0.02)

What I need help is calculating the new duration - not quite sure how to go about doing that. Once I have that, I can use the equation above to get the VaR for the leveraged portfolio. Am I on the right track?

2 Comments
 

If you leverage the assets like you mentioned and just bought more of the same securities, your duration would double from 1.5 years to 3.0 years (twice as sensitive to interest rate changes).

Pretty much anyway you measure it, the risk will be twice as high in the leveraged portfolio, with less than twice the expected return (because of borrowing costs).

 

Ipsa eveniet ex minima. Minus adipisci amet nobis magni iure nulla mollitia. Voluptatum quis dolorem facere amet velit ratione. Non praesentium esse ullam ipsa accusamus sed. Voluptatem eum quos ab in.

Quam voluptates consectetur ad rem quas. Ullam iure consectetur error odio. Quibusdam qui eaque quia. Voluptatem similique perferendis eum sed minima aut reprehenderit. Voluptas aut reprehenderit officia est inventore veniam.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (65) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”