Home > Articles > Business & Management > Finance & Investing

Introduction to Visual Quantitative Finance

This chapter begins with an overview of current investment trends, including shifts in investor attitudes and the emergence of new investment alternatives being driven by the application of quantitative finance.
This chapter is from the book

Visual quantitative finance is a different take on the mathematics of investing. It emphasizes an intuitive view of risk and the interrelationships of option pricing, risk management, and structured securities. This chapter begins with an overview of current investment trends that serve as the backdrop for the material covered in the book. The trends include shifts in investor attitudes and the emergence of new investment alternatives being driven by the application of quantitative finance.

I also talk about the personal “discovery” that motivated me to write this book. Like most people involved in asset management, I have struggled often with two things: (1) how to dampen some of the stock market volatility—and losses—that have occurred too often over the last decade, and (2) how to generate higher levels of income in a historically low interest rate environment.

Over time, I have become convinced that adding options—not as trading instruments, but as long-term components of portfolios—is the best answer. But unless an investor really understands options, it is hard to fully commit to a strategy involving them. Unfortunately, really understanding options means getting a little technical—sometimes a lot more than a little. I laughed one day when I saw the title of a paper on computational methods (roughly the same subject as this book). The title was “An Introduction to Computational Finance Without Agonizing Pain. If you have tried to approach this subject, you probably know the feeling. I do.

My personal “discovery” was not really a discovery in the sense that I uncovered some new truth. For me, it was just one of those light-bulb moments when I saw past the differential equations to a simple, beautiful “picture.” What I saw in the picture was an easier way to visualize option pricing. More than that, the picture contained enough information to break down seemingly complex risk metrics and structured securities into basic elements. The picture is a chart of an Excel spreadsheet, shown at the end of the chapter, and used as the framework for most of what is presented in this book.

Growth in Structured Securities

According to Bloomberg, investment banks sold $45.9 billion of SEC-registered structured securities in 2011 and another $11.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012. The securities offer customized risk-return and payoff profiles using derivatives based on underlying stocks, bonds, currencies, and commodities, with approximately 60% of these notes tied to equities (including the S&P 500 Index).1

Registered structured products are just the tip of the iceberg. Demand from institutions and retail investors, looking for better ways to invest, is prompting asset management firms and ETF providers to introduce new funds capable of smoothing market volatility and increasing yield. For instance, AQR Capital Management, the hedge fund company, launched four new mutual funds.

In 2012, AQR Capital Management, the hedge fund company run by Cliff Asness and other former Goldman Sachs managers, launched four new mutual funds.

  • July 13, 2012: AQR Capital Management announced Monday the launch of four new mutual funds .... The funds seek to provide equity-like returns with lower volatility and smaller drawdowns using an actively managed, risk-balanced approach.2

This is one in a string of announcements. Quant funds are rolling out more creative investment vehicles to meet market demand. Most of these vehicles offer forms of risk management and income features that traditional asset classes do not offer. And structured securities are often the means to do it.

Structured securities range from simple covered call strategies to complex institution hedging programs. What they have in common is the ability to tailor risk and reward profiles to match investor objectives in ways that are difficult to do with stocks and bonds.

On the retail side, more investors than ever use options strategies—not only as trades, but as integral parts of investment portfolios. On the institutional side, allocations to hedge funds and other alternatives using options strategies and structured securities are growing rapidly.

Both groups are interested in emerging strategies that combine the explicit use of hedging, insurance, and risk allocations in risk management instead of continuing to rely on traditional portfolio models. Also, in today’s low-interest environment, both groups want access to greater yields, especially those not related to market direction. These investor goals have led to the growing importance of volatility-reducing quantitative methods, particularly methods related to options capable of boosting dividend yields.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020