How may beta coefficient be used to standardise returns for risk to permit comparisons of mutual fund performance?

The beta coefficient measures a mutual fund's volatility in relation to the overall market, indicating how much the fund's returns are expected to change with market movements. By standardizing returns for risk, investors can compare funds with different risk profiles more effectively. A fund with a beta less than 1 is less volatile than the market, while a beta greater than 1 indicates higher volatility. This allows investors to assess whether a fund's performance is due to skillful management or simply a result of taking on more risk.