USE THE INFORMATION BELOW FOR THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S)

Multiple Choice

USE THE INFORMATION BELOW FOR THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM(S)
As a portfolio manager, you are responsible for a $150 million portfolio, 90 percent of which is invested in equities, with a portfolio beta of 1.25. You are utilizing the S&P 500 as your passive benchmark. Currently the S&P 500 is valued at 1202. The value of the S&P 500 futures contract is equal to $250 times the value of the index. The beta of the futures contract is 1.0.
-Refer to Exhibit 15.11. How many contracts should you buy or sell in order to reduce the portfolio beta to 0.80 (rounded to the nearest integer) ?

A) sell 162 contracts
B) buy 162 contracts
C) sell 324 contracts
D) buy 324 contracts
E) buy 234 contracts