Risk Control Methodology The BIRR Approach to Controlling for Economy-Wide Surprises Our approach to controlling for unexpected changes in long- and short-term interest rates, inflation, the real growth rate of the economy, and market sentiment Is the market properly valued? On average investors are rewarded for the risks they undertake. Click on one of the choices below to see a graph comparing the cumulative return attributable to these rewards for risks with the actual historical return for the S&P 500. Cumulative returns are computed over a five-year period for a $1.00 initial investment, with dividends reinvested. The BIRR risk factors for which investors are rewarded include economy-wide surprises in interest rates, inflation, the real growth rate of the economy, and market sentiment. Five-Year Period Ending February 28, 2010 (most recent) Five-Year Period Ending December 31, 2000 Five-Year Period Ending December 31, 1995 Five-Year Period Ending December 31, 1990 (includes the October 1987 crash) Using Macroeconomic Factors to Control Portfolio Risk (PDF format - 420 KB) The BIRR Equity Risk Model (PDF format - 1.3 MB) Risk Control Methodology | BIRR Software | Information and Documentation | About Us | Contact Us | Home Copyright © 1996-2009 BIRR Portfolio Analysis, Inc. Site last updated March 5, 2010