Proverbial Baskets are Uncorrelated Risk Factors! A Factor-Based Framework for Measuring and Managing Diversification in Multi-Asset Investment Solutions

The Journal of Portfolio Management (2018, 44 (2) 8-22)
Lionel Martellini and Vincent Milhau

Link to the paper

Abstract

Multi-asset investment solutions have become increasingly popular among sophisticated institutional investors focusing on efficient harvesting of risk premia across and within asset classes. One key challenge in the construction of diversified multi-asset portfolio strategies is that even a seemingly well-balanced allocation to many asset classes can eventually translate into a portfolio with a very concentrated set of underlying risk exposures. The authors suggest using a factor-based framework to more effectively measure and manage diversification in multi-asset portfolios.

Scientific Portfolio AI- Generated Summary

This paper discusses the importance of diversification in investment management and presents a factor-based framework for measuring and managing diversification in investment portfolios.The authors argue that asset allocation decisions, rather than security selection, are the main source of added value in investment management. They suggest that investors should focus on managing factor exposures as the main source of performance and that multi-asset investment solutions can be an efficient way to harvest risk premia across and within asset classes.

The authors propose a factor-based approach to portfolio construction that involves identifying a set of uncorrelated risk factors and allocating assets to these factors based on their expected returns and risk characteristics. They argue that this approach can help investors achieve better risk-adjusted returns than traditional asset allocation strategies that rely on historical correlations between asset classes. The authors also discuss the challenges associated with implementing a factor-based framework, including the need for accurate factor models, the difficulty of estimating expected returns and risk premia, and the potential for model misspecification. They suggest that investors should use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and evaluate risk factors, and that they should be prepared to adjust their factor allocations over time as market conditions change.

The authors highlight the potential benefits of multi-asset investment solutions, including improved risk management, increased diversification, and better risk-adjusted returns. They suggest that investors should consider incorporating factor-based approaches into their investment strategies, and that they should work with experienced investment professionals to design and implement effective multi-asset portfolios.

Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the benefits and challenges of factor-based investing and multi-asset investment solutions. The authors argue that investors should focus on managing factor exposures as the main source of performance and that they should use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and evaluate risk factors. They suggest that multi-asset investment solutions can be an efficient way to harvest risk premia across and within asset classes and that investors should work with experienced investment professionals to design and implement effective multi-asset portfolios.