manipulating data
in excel --open the file that you got in the above step
--delete the title row so that each column has only a variable name and data
--if you do not wish to make any further changes to the data set then 'save as' a.csv(comma separated values) file to your C:drive
use in microfit
in microfit --open the csv file you created in the preceding step
--to avoid having to open as a csv file each time
--save the data in microfit format
--when prompted for the last observation type 99m11 (it is just an example.)
creating new variables
--if you examine the data you will notice that the returns figures are in %(i.e the first months figure for the market is 1.09%).
--to alter this to a more usable format( i.e a value of 0.9891)
we need to create a new variable in microfit
--in the 'process' window type-market=1+(market/100)
--press'go'
--check in the 'variables' and 'data' windows that this has worked
--the same process is involved in creating a variable for the return to the unit trust that you were assigned.
--the model that you are asked to estimate for the assessment requires not that the returns themselves are used but the difference between the return to the market/trust and the risk free rate
--to create the new variable for market return type mktrf=marketr-riskfr
--press'Go'
--again the same process for the dependent variable you were assigned.