) Suppose that stocks offer an expected return of 18% with a standard deviation of 22%, while gold offers an expected return of 10% with a standard deviation of 30%. Given that gold offers a lower return at higher risk compared to stocks, would anyone hold gold

Some people would hold gold instead of stocks because even if the average expected return of gold is a lot lower than the average expected return of stocks (10% vs 18%), the standard deviation of gold is 30%, while that of stocks is 18%.

This means that while on average stocks earn the investor a higher average return, in some cases, gold earns even higher returns to investors. However, the probability of getting those high returns on gold is still lower, which makes gold a riskier investment.

the correct answer is economics is a game without winners or losers.

unlike sports or games economic is a game without losers or winner rather it is a game where everyone wins. parties of business doing businesses exchange money with each other and hence exchange is done on the basis of goods. one party takes the goods and other sales it so there is winner on both sides. each party values more highly the good it gets than the good it gives up. both sides exchange only because both intend to increase their value. so there is no concept of lose or win.