Question

Rules for Question:

All interest rates herein are expressed with continuous compounding.



In case you need to make assumptions, please clearly state them. Only reasonable

assumptions are acceptable. Assumptions that violate finance principles are not to be

made.



For numerical questions, simply calculating the numbers out will not be sufficient.

Please also provide me with the reasons for your calculations. Correct thinking

processes are much more important than correct numbers. Therefore, regardless of

whether or not your numbers are correct, no marks will be given if (a) no explanation

of your calculations is provided; or (b) the explanation provided is incorrect. On the

other hand, even if your numbers are incorrect, partial marks will be given if your

thinking process is correct.



Please note that marks can only be given based on what you write. Therefore, I request

that you attempt to convey your ideas to me as clearly as possible. I will not make a

guess as to what you intend to mean if you do not make it obvious and clear.



When your answers involve taking positions in securities or lending/borrowing, please

mention all the relevant details

such as

the timing of the transactions, the side of the

contracts (e.g., long or short forward), the length of the contracts (e.g., 6-month

futures), the exercise prices (in case of options) and the interest rates (in case of lending

or borrowing).

Question:

1. (3 points) You were recently offered a job (i.e., a 5-year contract) with a gold producer. The company is offering a choice between two compensation schemes. Under the first scheme, you will get a salary of $100,000 per year, with the first payment occurring at the end of the first year. Under the second scheme, you will get 50 ounces of gold per year, with the first payment occurring at the end of the first year. The current price of gold is $1,900 per ounce, and gold analysts expect the price to increase at the rate of 4% per year. The risk-free rate is 2% p.a., while the storage cost for gold is 0.1% p.a. Which compensation scheme will you choose?

Answer 1