Abstract: | In this paper the relationship is examined between the average return and the risk of a sample of 144 French common stocks which traded continuously over the decade 1969–1979. Although it was found that a negative relationship existed between average return and systematic risk, sufficient evidence could not be gathered to reject the hypothesis that the pricing of French common stocks conforms to the Capital Asset Pricing Model. The nature and implications of the observed negative risk-return trade-off are discussed. |