In an efficient market the correlation coefficient between stock returns for two nonoverlapping time periods should be

A) positive and large.
B) positive and small.
C) zero.
D) negative and small.
E) negative and large.

Correlation Coefficient

A quantitative indicator that determines both the magnitude and orientation of a straight-line association between two variables represented on a scatter diagram.

Stock Returns

The gain or loss made on a stock, including dividends, over a specific period, expressed as a percentage of the investment's initial cost.

Efficient Market

A market hypothesis that states all available information is fully reflected in asset prices, implying that stocks always trade at their fair value, making it impossible to beat the market through expert stock selection or market timing.