Unsystematic risk is the risk that comes with the type of industry or company in which funds are invested. Unsystematic risk can be eliminated by diversifying investments into a number of industries or companies. Systematic risk is the market risk or the uncertainty in the entire market that cannot be diversified away. Standard deviation measures the total risk, which is both systematic and unsystematic risk. Beta on the other hand measures only systematic risk (market risk). Standard deviation shows an asset’s individual risk or volatility. On the other hand, Beta is a relative measure used for comparison and does not show a security’s individual behavior. Beta measures an asset’s volatility in relation to the market’s performance.
What is the difference between Beta and Standard Deviation?
• Beta and standard deviation are measures of volatility used in the analysis of risk in investment portfolios.
• Beta measures a security’s or portfolio’s performance (asset’s risk and return) in relation to the movements in the market.
• A beta value of 1 show that the security is performing in line with the market’s performance; a beta of less than 1 show that security’s performance is less volatile than the market, and a beta of more than 1 show that a security’s performance is more volatile than the benchmark.
• The standard deviation of an investment measures the volatility of returns, and so the higher the standard deviation, the higher volatility and risk involved in the investment.