Alpha
Lighting up the black box: a must for investors?
Many contend you must be able to interpret machine learning in order to use it
At Numerai, real-world figures need not apply
AI hedge fund CEO sees the light in black-box technology
The pricing of firm-specific risk in emerging markets
This paper finds that a zero-investment strategy that goes long (short) in the highest (lowest) quintiles of firm-specific risk earns overall positive excess returns across twenty-one emerging markets.
Caveat pre-emptor: Man ESG chief talks snubbed markets
Robert Furdak is sparking discussions about responsible trend following in unsustainable stocks
Search for alpha in a volatile world
Alpha generation can be an elusive goal, particularly when trading volatility. Three different approaches to trading volatility were discussed by a panel looking at the role of systematic and carry strategies in finding profit in a high-volatility world
ESG investing: It’s not just great to be good
Investing according to environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria can be done in various ways, with continuing development of filters and ways of analysing companies. As the market in ESG indexes and investments linked to sustainability matures,…
Beyond market equilibrium – The future of active investing
Asset owners use indexes as policy benchmarks and reference portfolios in their asset allocation. Index investors track cap-weighted indexes that seek to capture the market return. Active investors select securities and build portfolios that aim to…
A tech-driven transformation
A panel of experts explores how greater collaboration between risk and finance teams can garner significant benefits and add value, how technological innovation is making the regulatory landscape more complicated to navigate and produce transformative…
One size does not fit all – Adapting to meet investment goals
Guillaume Arnaud, global head of quantitative investment strategies (QIS), and Sandrine Ungari, head of cross-asset quantitative research at Societe Generale, explore the benefits of QIS for investors, why flexibility is crucial for investors to meet…
ETF investing – Building better portfolios
At the Asia ETF Forum 2019, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) welcomed industry experts from around the region to six key Asian exchange-traded fund (ETF) cities, offering attendees an updated view on the growing ETF market in Asia. This article…
Funds hunt for the real McCoy in alternative data jungle
Uncorrelated information is a rare species but there are other ways to make funky new data work
Risk FX Briefing: Event insights
What lies ahead for investment managers
Portfolio traders turn to tech – A new generation of strategies
Chris Bruner, head of US credit product at Tradeweb, explores the products that can help managers express portfolio views and how they can maximise the benefits they can reap by evaluating and understanding the price, risk and relative value of each…
Banks use machine learning to ‘augment’ corporate sales
Big banks are embarking on massive projects to tie up machine learning and big data to sell better to clients
Alt risk premia study finds ‘zero alpha’, clear beta to bonds
Vanilla exposures explain as much as two-thirds of returns, authors say
Fundamentals fuelling smart beta in China
As Chinese equity markets mature and become increasingly driven by fundamentals, the time is right for international investors to invest in smart beta strategies, say Vincent Yam, head of trading, and Weiwei Wang, senior derivatives trader at Guotai…
Transition management provider of the year: Northern Trust
As pension plans increasingly focus on the underlying costs and fees involved in managing their money, opportunities for transitions have shifted. Northern Trust is standing out by offering customised transition solutions for clients and stakeholders in…
Extending the ETF frontiers: Institutions are finding new ways to use ETFs
Growing institutional adoption of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) has been an undeniable trend over the past few years. In this article, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) explains why institutions are increasingly using ETFs to gain targeted exposure,…
How to apply Python to complex financial markets
The unprecedented proliferation of data in derivatives markets has led to a rise in popularity of Python, a multipurpose programming language known for its versatility and flexibility. Undoubtedly, the increased adoption of Python has helped enable…
Passive funds turn predator in pursuit of pricing edge
State Street, Amundi, HSBC sharpen trading tactics to exploit index changes