More than 40 years ago, Merton et al. published two papers examining the performance of passive options strategies. They concluded that these strategies outperformed the traditional buy-and-hold approach. At the time of their studies, options data was not widely available, so they used historical volatility to calculate options prices. …

The put-call ratio (PCR) is a popular indicator used in financial markets to gauge investor sentiment. It is calculated by dividing the number of traded put options by the number of traded call options over a specific period. The put-call ratio is often promoted and utilized by market analysts for …

Linear regression is a widely used prediction technique in finance. Linear regression can estimate the relationship between a dependent variable (such as stock price) and one or more independent variables (like market indices or economic indicators). This approach is particularly useful in predicting trends, asset prices, and risk factors. However, …

Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) is an active investment strategy that involves adjusting the allocation of assets in a portfolio to take advantage of short- to medium-term market opportunities. Unlike strategic asset allocation, which focuses on long-term asset allocation based on a fixed mix, TAA seeks to exploit market inefficiencies by …

The Random Walk Hypothesis (RWH) suggests that stock prices move in a completely unpredictable manner, making it impossible to consistently outperform the market through stock selection or market timing. According to this hypothesis, changes in stock prices are independent of each other and follow a random path, meaning past price …

Influencer marketing is a strategy where brands collaborate with individuals who have a significant online following to promote products or services. This form of marketing has become increasingly popular as consumers tend to trust recommendations from individuals they follow over traditional advertising. By partnering with influencers, businesses can target specific …

Machine learning has become an essential tool in modern finance, transforming the way financial institutions and investors approach data analysis and decision-making. In areas such as portfolio management, algorithmic trading, credit scoring, and fraud detection, machine learning enables more accurate predictions, faster processing of information, and the automation of tasks …

The macroeconomic announcement premium refers to the phenomenon where financial markets, particularly stock and bond markets, experience higher-than-usual returns on days when significant macroeconomic announcements are made. The premium represents the additional returns investors may receive due to increased trading activity, market reactions, or adjustments to expectations following these announcements. …

VIX futures are financial contracts that allow investors to trade on the expected future volatility of the S&P 500 Index, as measured by the VIX (Volatility Index). These contracts provide a way to hedge against or speculate on changes in market volatility. VIX futures are popular in times of uncertainty, …

The volatility risk premium (VRP) refers to the compensation investors receive for bearing the risk of higher-than-expected market volatility, often manifesting as the difference between implied and realized volatility in options markets. The VRP is not constant; it changes according to the market regime. Reference proposed a timing scheme …