Capturing hedge fund risk factor exposures: Hedge fund return replication with ETFs

We develop a new factor selection methodology of spanning the space of hedge fund risk factors with all available exchange traded funds (ETFs). We demonstrate the efficacy of the methodology with out-of-sample individual hedge fund return replication by ETF clone portfolios. This is consistent with our interpretation of ETF returns as proxies to risk factors driving hedge fund returns. We further consider portfolios of “cloneable” and “noncloneable” hedge funds, defined as top and bottom in-sample R² matches, and demonstrate that our ETF clone portfolios slightly outperform cloneable hedge funds out of sample.     

The effectiveness of index futures hedging in emerging markets during the crisis period of 2008-2010: Evidence from South Africa

This article provides an assessment of the comparative effectiveness of four econometric methods in estimating the optimal hedge ratio in an emerging equity market, particularly the South African equity and futures markets. The article bases the effectiveness of hedging on volatility reduction and minimization of the coefficient of variation of hedged returns as well as risk-aversion-based utility maximization. The empirical analysis shows that the vector error-correction method and multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity methods are most effective over relatively long horizon, weekly and monthly hedging periods.     

THE INCENTIVES OF HEDGE FUND FEES AND HIGH‐WATER MARKS

Hedge fund managers receive a large fraction of their funds' profits, paid when funds exceed their high‐water marks. We study the incentives of such performance fees. A manager with long‐horizon, constant investment opportunities and relative risk aversion, chooses a constant Merton portfolio. However, the effective risk aversion shrinks toward one in proportion to performance fees. Risk shifting implications are ambiguous and depend on the manager's own risk aversion. Managers with equal investment opportunities but different performance fees and risk aversions may coexist in a competitive equilibrium. The resulting leverage increases with performance fees—a prediction that we confirm empirically.     

Impact of Advance Notice Periods on the Performance Persistence of Hedge Funds

This paper examines the impact of the advance notice period on hedge fund performance persistence in investors＇ portfolios. As investors in hedge funds face several trading restrictions related to the funds＇ common investment terms and conditions, it is hypothesized that the advance notice period generates illiquidity for investors and impairs their ability to benefit from performance persistence in hedge funds. Using a sample of 4,788 hedge funds over a period from 1994 to 2008 and contingency table based standard methodology for returns and Sharpe ratios, the results suggest that accounting for individual funds＇ advance notice periods has a negative impact on the performance persistence of hedge funds. The proportion of significantly persistent funds declines when incorporating the advance notice period, especially for short time horizons. Furthermore, a considerable part of hedge fund performance persistence is related to asset class-specific terms and conditions, reducing the amount of short-term performance persistence in practice.     

期货合约会计核算的探讨

期货合约会计的研究在我国刚刚起步，本文试就期货合约会计的科日设置、入帐时间以及期货合约损益的会计等问题进行了初步探讨，并在此基础上举例说明期货合约会计处理的市价法和保值递延法。     

如何利用金融衍生工具规避财务风险

处于市场竞争中的现代企业,所面临的财务风险日益突出。这已经对企业效益乃至企业生存造成了严重威胁,并在一定程度上制约着企业的发展。金融衍生工具作为新的规避风险工具具有其先天优势,本文通过对金融衍生工具的功能及特点的分析,为企业提供更好的规避财务风险的方法。     

Do commodities make effective hedges for equity investors?

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether commodities are effective hedges for equity holders. We employ three different methodologies to calculate time varying hedge ratios. First, we examine time-varying hedge ratios and how much portfolio risk can be reduced relative to a long position in the S&P 500. We calculate hedge ratios from realized variances and covariances; second, we estimate a recursive multivariate GARCH (BEKK) model and calculate the hedge ratios from the estimated covariances; and thirdly, we calculate the hedge ratios by estimating recursive OLS regressions. The results of our paper are very clear. First, commodities are not effective hedges for the S&P 500. Equity market investors and asset managers looking for a way to manage and reduce portfolio risk will be well advised to search for alternative hedges for the S&P 500 than commodities. Second, our results do not support the claim that commodities were a good hedge for the equity market during the financial crisis.     

宏观型对冲基金动向及其对中国金融稳定的影响

近年来,宏观型对冲基金加快了策略转型和运作方式调整,表现为进一步分化为中小型化和专业化,其结构性变化是投资者中的机构投资者显著增加,大型金融机构也相继设立了机构内对冲基金;在投资策略方面,为了减少风险暴露,宏观型对冲基金正在寻找与各国政府意愿和金融市场走势更加协调的投资策略;这些新的变化对于各国金融稳定提出了新的挑战。目前,中国的经济金融形势十分有利于对冲基金实施多头策略,因此,如何有序开放金融市场和金融业及有效阻止对冲基金可能给中国金融体系造成的冲击是中国应当考虑和关注的问题。     

股指期货投资策略与技巧

随着股指期货的渐行渐近,人们对股指期货的关注程度也在日益提高。作为中国内地第一个金融期货产品的沪深300指数期货,有其与其他金融产品不同的投资方法,并且有一定的复杂性。沪深300指数期货的主要用途有两个:利用沪深300指数期货对股票投资组合进行风险管理以及进行套利活动来获取无风险利润。正确认识股指期货并且能熟练掌握股指期货的投资策略对于投资者而言是十分重要的。文章阐述了股指期货两种投资用途的投资策略与技巧。