n NISM Certifications
NSM General NISM
Medium

A client's portfolio has an XIRR of 8.7% against a benchmark of 12.1%. Which approach best turns this into a story rather than just a statistic?

Practice question from Advanced B1S7 — bank. The correct answer is highlighted below with a full explanation.

Options

  1. A

    Explain the difference between XIRR and absolute returns first

  2. B

    Tell the client their portfolio is underperforming and needs restructuring

  3. Show what the corpus would look like today if returns had matched the benchmark, and what it could look like going forward

    Correct answer

  4. D

    Reassure the client that 8.7% is still a positive return

Why this is the answer

A single number tells a client where they are. Showing the trajectory — what was, what is, and what could be — makes the data move through time and reveals what is actually at stake. That shift from number to narrative is what creates a reason to act.

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