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Book Can Tail Risk Explain Size  Book to Market  Momentum  and Idiosyncratic Volatility Anomalies

Download or read book Can Tail Risk Explain Size Book to Market Momentum and Idiosyncratic Volatility Anomalies written by Sofiane Aboura and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We examine the impact of tail risk on the return dynamics of size, book-to-market ratio, momentum, and idiosyncratic volatility sorted portfolios. Our time-series analyses document significant portfolio return exposures to aggregate tail risk. In particular, portfolios that contain small, value, high idiosyncratic volatility, and low momentum stocks exhibit negative and statistically significant tail risk betas. Our cross-sectional analyses at the individual stock level suggest that tail risk helps in explaining the four pricing anomalies, particularly size and idiosyncratic volatility anomalies.

Book TAIL RISK HEDGING  Creating Robust Portfolios for Volatile Markets

Download or read book TAIL RISK HEDGING Creating Robust Portfolios for Volatile Markets written by Vineer Bhansali and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2013-12-27 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "TAIL RISKS" originate from the failure of mean reversion and the idealized bell curve of asset returns, which assumes that highly probable outcomes occur near the center of the curve and that unlikely occurrences, good and bad, happen rarely, if at all, at either "tail" of the curve. Ever since the global financial crisis, protecting investments against these severe tail events has become a priority for investors and money managers, but it is something Vineer Bhansali and his team at PIMCO have been doing for over a decade. In one of the first comprehensive and rigorous books ever written on tail risk hedging, he lays out a systematic approach to protecting portfolios from, and potentially benefiting from, rare yet severe market outcomes. Tail Risk Hedging is built on the author's practical experience applying macroeconomic forecasting and quantitative modeling techniques across asset markets. Using empirical data and charts, he explains the consequences of diversification failure in tail events and how to manage portfolios when this happens. He provides an easy-to-use, yet rigorous framework for protecting investment portfolios against tail risk and using tail hedging to play offense. Tail Risk Hedging explores how to: Generate profits from volatility and illiquidity during tail-risk events in equity and credit markets Buy attractively priced tail hedges that add value to a portfolio and quantify basis risk Interpret the psychology of investors in option pricing and portfolio construction Customize explicit hedges for retirement investments Hedge risk factors such as duration risk and inflation risk Managing tail risk is today's most significant development in risk management, and this thorough guide helps you access every aspect of it. With the time-tested and mathematically rigorous strategies described here, including pieces of computer code, you get access to insights to help mitigate portfolio losses in significant downturns, create explosive liquidity while unhedged participants are forced to sell, and create more aggressive yet tail-risk-focused portfolios. The book also gives you a unique, higher level view of how tail risk is related to investing in alternatives, and of derivatives such as zerocost collars and variance swaps. Volatility and tail risks are here to stay, and so should your clients' wealth when you use Tail Risk Hedging for managing portfolios. PRAISE FOR TAIL RISK HEDGING: "Managing, mitigating, and even exploiting the risk of bad times are the most important concerns in investments. Bhansali puts tail risk hedging and tail risk management under a microscope--pricing, implementation, and showing how we can fine-tune our risk exposures, which are all crucial ways in how we can better weather our bad times." -- ANDREW ANG, Ann F. Kaplan Professor of Business at Columbia University "This book is critical and accessible reading for fiduciaries, financial consultants and investors interested in both theoretical foundations and practical considerations for how to frame hedging downside risk in portfolios. It is a tremendous resource for anyone involved in asset allocation today." -- CHRISTOPHER C. GECZY, Ph.D., Academic Director, Wharton Wealth Management Initiative and Adj. Associate Professor of Finance, The Wharton School "Bhansali's book demonstrates how tail risk hedging can work, be concretely implemented, and lead to higher returns so that it is possible to have your cake and eat it too! A must read for the savvy investor." -- DIDIER SORNETTE, Professor on the Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks, ETH Zurich

Book Risk Based and Factor Investing

Download or read book Risk Based and Factor Investing written by Emmanuel Jurczenko and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2015-11-24 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a compilation of recent articles written by leading academics and practitioners in the area of risk-based and factor investing (RBFI). The articles are intended to introduce readers to some of the latest, cutting edge research encountered by academics and professionals dealing with RBFI solutions. Together the authors detail both alternative non-return based portfolio construction techniques and investing style risk premia strategies. Each chapter deals with new methods of building strategic and tactical risk-based portfolios, constructing and combining systematic factor strategies and assessing the related rules-based investment performances. This book can assist portfolio managers, asset owners, consultants, academics and students who wish to further their understanding of the science and art of risk-based and factor investing. Contains up-to-date research from the areas of RBFI Features contributions from leading academics and practitioners in this field Features discussions of new methods of building strategic and tactical risk-based portfolios for practitioners, academics and students

Book Efficiency and Anomalies in Stock Markets

Download or read book Efficiency and Anomalies in Stock Markets written by Wing-Keung Wong and published by Mdpi AG. This book was released on 2022-02-17 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Efficient Market Hypothesis believes that it is impossible for an investor to outperform the market because all available information is already built into stock prices. However, some anomalies could persist in stock markets while some other anomalies could appear, disappear and re-appear again without any warning. A Special Issue on "Efficiency and Anomalies in Stock Markets" will be devoted to advancements in the theoretical development of market efficiency and anomaly in the Stock Market, as well as applications in Stock Market efficiency and anomalies.

Book The Handbook of Equity Market Anomalies

Download or read book The Handbook of Equity Market Anomalies written by Leonard Zacks and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-08-24 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investment pioneer Len Zacks presents the latest academic research on how to beat the market using equity anomalies The Handbook of Equity Market Anomalies organizes and summarizes research carried out by hundreds of finance and accounting professors over the last twenty years to identify and measure equity market inefficiencies and provides self-directed individual investors with a framework for incorporating the results of this research into their own investment processes. Edited by Len Zacks, CEO of Zacks Investment Research, and written by leading professors who have performed groundbreaking research on specific anomalies, this book succinctly summarizes the most important anomalies that savvy investors have used for decades to beat the market. Some of the anomalies addressed include the accrual anomaly, net stock anomalies, fundamental anomalies, estimate revisions, changes in and levels of broker recommendations, earnings-per-share surprises, insider trading, price momentum and technical analysis, value and size anomalies, and several seasonal anomalies. This reliable resource also provides insights on how to best use the various anomalies in both market neutral and in long investor portfolios. A treasure trove of investment research and wisdom, the book will save you literally thousands of hours by distilling the essence of twenty years of academic research into eleven clear chapters and providing the framework and conviction to develop market-beating strategies. Strips the academic jargon from the research and highlights the actual returns generated by the anomalies, and documented in the academic literature Provides a theoretical framework within which to understand the concepts of risk adjusted returns and market inefficiencies Anomalies are selected by Len Zacks, a pioneer in the field of investing As the founder of Zacks Investment Research, Len Zacks pioneered the concept of the earnings-per-share surprise in 1982 and developed the Zacks Rank, one of the first anomaly-based stock selection tools. Today, his firm manages U.S. equities for individual and institutional investors and provides investment software and investment data to all types of investors. Now, with his new book, he shows you what it takes to build a quant process to outperform an index based on academically documented market inefficiencies and anomalies.

Book Empirical Asset Pricing

Download or read book Empirical Asset Pricing written by Turan G. Bali and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-02-26 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Bali, Engle, and Murray have produced a highly accessible introduction to the techniques and evidence of modern empirical asset pricing. This book should be read and absorbed by every serious student of the field, academic and professional.” Eugene Fama, Robert R. McCormick Distinguished Service Professor of Finance, University of Chicago and 2013 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences “The empirical analysis of the cross-section of stock returns is a monumental achievement of half a century of finance research. Both the established facts and the methods used to discover them have subtle complexities that can mislead casual observers and novice researchers. Bali, Engle, and Murray’s clear and careful guide to these issues provides a firm foundation for future discoveries.” John Campbell, Morton L. and Carole S. Olshan Professor of Economics, Harvard University “Bali, Engle, and Murray provide clear and accessible descriptions of many of the most important empirical techniques and results in asset pricing.” Kenneth R. French, Roth Family Distinguished Professor of Finance, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College “This exciting new book presents a thorough review of what we know about the cross-section of stock returns. Given its comprehensive nature, systematic approach, and easy-to-understand language, the book is a valuable resource for any introductory PhD class in empirical asset pricing.” Lubos Pastor, Charles P. McQuaid Professor of Finance, University of Chicago Empirical Asset Pricing: The Cross Section of Stock Returns is a comprehensive overview of the most important findings of empirical asset pricing research. The book begins with thorough expositions of the most prevalent econometric techniques with in-depth discussions of the implementation and interpretation of results illustrated through detailed examples. The second half of the book applies these techniques to demonstrate the most salient patterns observed in stock returns. The phenomena documented form the basis for a range of investment strategies as well as the foundations of contemporary empirical asset pricing research. Empirical Asset Pricing: The Cross Section of Stock Returns also includes: Discussions on the driving forces behind the patterns observed in the stock market An extensive set of results that serve as a reference for practitioners and academics alike Numerous references to both contemporary and foundational research articles Empirical Asset Pricing: The Cross Section of Stock Returns is an ideal textbook for graduate-level courses in asset pricing and portfolio management. The book is also an indispensable reference for researchers and practitioners in finance and economics. Turan G. Bali, PhD, is the Robert Parker Chair Professor of Finance in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University. The recipient of the 2014 Jack Treynor prize, he is the coauthor of Mathematical Methods for Finance: Tools for Asset and Risk Management, also published by Wiley. Robert F. Engle, PhD, is the Michael Armellino Professor of Finance in the Stern School of Business at New York University. He is the 2003 Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Director of the New York University Stern Volatility Institute, and co-founding President of the Society for Financial Econometrics. Scott Murray, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Finance in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. He is the recipient of the 2014 Jack Treynor prize.

Book The Current State of Quantitative Equity Investing

Download or read book The Current State of Quantitative Equity Investing written by Ying L. Becker and published by CFA Institute Research Foundation. This book was released on 2018-05-10 with total page 75 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quantitative equity management techniques are helping investors achieve more risk efficient and appropriate investment outcomes. Factor investing, vetted by decades of prior and current research, is growing quickly, particularly in in the form of smart-beta and ETF strategies. Dynamic factor-timing approaches, incorporating macroeconomic and investment conditions, are in the early stages but will likely thrive. A new generation of big data approaches are rendering quantitative equity analysis even more powerful and encompassing.

Book Empirical Asset Pricing

Download or read book Empirical Asset Pricing written by Wayne Ferson and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 497 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to the theory and methods of empirical asset pricing, integrating classical foundations with recent developments. This book offers a comprehensive advanced introduction to asset pricing, the study of models for the prices and returns of various securities. The focus is empirical, emphasizing how the models relate to the data. The book offers a uniquely integrated treatment, combining classical foundations with more recent developments in the literature and relating some of the material to applications in investment management. It covers the theory of empirical asset pricing, the main empirical methods, and a range of applied topics. The book introduces the theory of empirical asset pricing through three main paradigms: mean variance analysis, stochastic discount factors, and beta pricing models. It describes empirical methods, beginning with the generalized method of moments (GMM) and viewing other methods as special cases of GMM; offers a comprehensive review of fund performance evaluation; and presents selected applied topics, including a substantial chapter on predictability in asset markets that covers predicting the level of returns, volatility and higher moments, and predicting cross-sectional differences in returns. Other chapters cover production-based asset pricing, long-run risk models, the Campbell-Shiller approximation, the debate on covariance versus characteristics, and the relation of volatility to the cross-section of stock returns. An extensive reference section captures the current state of the field. The book is intended for use by graduate students in finance and economics; it can also serve as a reference for professionals.

Book Asset Management

Download or read book Asset Management written by Andrew Ang and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2014 with total page 717 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stocks and bonds? Real estate? Hedge funds? Private equity? If you think those are the things to focus on in building an investment portfolio, Andrew Ang has accumulated a body of research that will prove otherwise. In this book, Ang upends the conventional wisdom about asset allocation by showing that what matters aren't asset class labels but the bundles of overlapping risks they represent.

Book Factor Investing and Asset Allocation  A Business Cycle Perspective

Download or read book Factor Investing and Asset Allocation A Business Cycle Perspective written by Vasant Naik and published by CFA Institute Research Foundation. This book was released on 2016-12-30 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Book An Introduction to Analysis of Financial Data with R

Download or read book An Introduction to Analysis of Financial Data with R written by Ruey S. Tsay and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-08-21 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete set of statistical tools for beginning financial analysts from a leading authority Written by one of the leading experts on the topic, An Introduction to Analysis of Financial Data with R explores basic concepts of visualization of financial data. Through a fundamental balance between theory and applications, the book supplies readers with an accessible approach to financial econometric models and their applications to real-world empirical research. The author supplies a hands-on introduction to the analysis of financial data using the freely available R software package and case studies to illustrate actual implementations of the discussed methods. The book begins with the basics of financial data, discussing their summary statistics and related visualization methods. Subsequent chapters explore basic time series analysis and simple econometric models for business, finance, and economics as well as related topics including: Linear time series analysis, with coverage of exponential smoothing for forecasting and methods for model comparison Different approaches to calculating asset volatility and various volatility models High-frequency financial data and simple models for price changes, trading intensity, and realized volatility Quantitative methods for risk management, including value at risk and conditional value at risk Econometric and statistical methods for risk assessment based on extreme value theory and quantile regression Throughout the book, the visual nature of the topic is showcased through graphical representations in R, and two detailed case studies demonstrate the relevance of statistics in finance. A related website features additional data sets and R scripts so readers can create their own simulations and test their comprehension of the presented techniques. An Introduction to Analysis of Financial Data with R is an excellent book for introductory courses on time series and business statistics at the upper-undergraduate and graduate level. The book is also an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners in the fields of business, finance, and economics who would like to enhance their understanding of financial data and today's financial markets.

Book Financial and Macroeconomic Connectedness

Download or read book Financial and Macroeconomic Connectedness written by Francis X. Diebold and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-02-03 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Connections among different assets, asset classes, portfolios, and the stocks of individual institutions are critical in examining financial markets. Interest in financial markets implies interest in underlying macroeconomic fundamentals. In Financial and Macroeconomic Connectedness, Frank Diebold and Kamil Yilmaz propose a simple framework for defining, measuring, and monitoring connectedness, which is central to finance and macroeconomics. These measures of connectedness are theoretically rigorous yet empirically relevant. The approach to connectedness proposed by the authors is intimately related to the familiar econometric notion of variance decomposition. The full set of variance decompositions from vector auto-regressions produces the core of the 'connectedness table.' The connectedness table makes clear how one can begin with the most disaggregated pair-wise directional connectedness measures and aggregate them in various ways to obtain total connectedness measures. The authors also show that variance decompositions define weighted, directed networks, so that these proposed connectedness measures are intimately related to key measures of connectedness used in the network literature. After describing their methods in the first part of the book, the authors proceed to characterize daily return and volatility connectedness across major asset (stock, bond, foreign exchange and commodity) markets as well as the financial institutions within the U.S. and across countries since late 1990s. These specific measures of volatility connectedness show that stock markets played a critical role in spreading the volatility shocks from the U.S. to other countries. Furthermore, while the return connectedness across stock markets increased gradually over time the volatility connectedness measures were subject to significant jumps during major crisis events. This book examines not only financial connectedness, but also real fundamental connectedness. In particular, the authors show that global business cycle connectedness is economically significant and time-varying, that the U.S. has disproportionately high connectedness to others, and that pairwise country connectedness is inversely related to bilateral trade surpluses.

Book Market Liquidity

    Book Details:
  • Author : Thierry Foucault
  • Publisher : Oxford University Press
  • Release : 2023
  • ISBN : 0197542069
  • Pages : 531 pages

Download or read book Market Liquidity written by Thierry Foucault and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023 with total page 531 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The process by which securities are traded is very different from the idealized picture of a frictionless and self-equilibrating market offered by the typical finance textbook. This book offers a more accurate and authoritative take on this process. The book starts from the assumption that not everyone is present at all times simultaneously on the market, and that participants have quite diverse information about the security's fundamentals. As a result, the order flow is a complex mix of information and noise, and a consensus price only emerges gradually over time as the trading process evolves and the participants interpret the actions of other traders. Thus, a security's actual transaction price may deviate from its fundamental value, as it would be assessed by a fully informed set of investors. The book takes these deviations seriously, and explains why and how they emerge in the trading process and are eventually eliminated. The authors draw on a vast body of theoretical insights and empirical findings on security price formation that have come to form a well-defined field within financial economics known as "market microstructure." Focusing on liquidity and price discovery, the book analyzes the tension between the two, pointing out that when price-relevant information reaches the market through trading pressure rather than through a public announcement, liquidity may suffer. It also confronts many striking phenomena in securities markets and uses the analytical tools and empirical methods of market microstructure to understand them. These include issues such as why liquidity changes over time and differs across securities, why large trades move prices up or down, and why these price changes are subsequently reversed, and why we observe temporary deviations from asset fair values"--

Book Recent Applications of Financial Risk Modelling and Portfolio Management

Download or read book Recent Applications of Financial Risk Modelling and Portfolio Management written by Škrinjari?, Tihana and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2020-09-25 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today’s financial market, portfolio and risk management are facing an array of challenges. This is due to increasing levels of knowledge and data that are being made available that have caused a multitude of different investment models to be explored and implemented. Professionals and researchers in this field are in need of up-to-date research that analyzes these contemporary models of practice and keeps pace with the advancements being made within financial risk modelling and portfolio control. Recent Applications of Financial Risk Modelling and Portfolio Management is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on the use of modern data analysis as well as quantitative methods for developing successful portfolio and risk management techniques. While highlighting topics such as credit scoring, investment strategies, and budgeting, this publication explores diverse models for achieving investment goals as well as improving upon traditional financial modelling methods. This book is ideally designed for researchers, financial analysts, executives, practitioners, policymakers, academicians, and students seeking current research on contemporary risk management strategies in the financial sector.

Book Think  Act  and Invest Like Warren Buffett  PB

Download or read book Think Act and Invest Like Warren Buffett PB written by Larry Swedroe and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2014-03-07 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bedrock investing principles for profiting in today’s shaky markets If you wanted to create the next earth-shattering consumer product, Steve Jobs would be an ideal role model to follow. If you planned to become a great golfer, you might look to Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus. So, if your goals were to outperform other investors and achieve your life’s financial goals, what should you do? Think, act and invest like the best investor out there: Warren Buffett. While you can’t invest exactly like he does, Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett provides a solid, sensible investing approach based on Buffett’s advice regarding investment strategies. When it comes to investing, Director of Research for the BAM Alliance and CBS News blogger Larry Swedroe has pretty much seen it all—and he’s come to the conclusion that simple is better, that adopting basic investing principles always increases an investor’s chance of success and that Buffett is the perfect model for such investing. In Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett, Swedroe provides the foundational knowledge you need to: Develop a financial plan to help you make rational decisions on a consistent basis Determine the level of risk that’s right for you and allocate your assets accordingly Create a strong portfolio that will weather any economic storm Manage your portfolio—rebalance periodically to maintain proper risk levels The beauty of the Buffett approach is its profound simplicity: follow the basics, keep your cool, and have a sense of humor. The market volatility of recent years has ushered in armies of economists, forecasters and other so-called experts whose job it is to explain how everything works. Somehow, they have managed to muddy the waters even more. The truth is, investing is easier than you think—even in today’s economy. “Complex problems can have simple solutions,” Swedroe writes. Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett helps you go back to the basics—so you can leap in front of the investing pack. Praise for Think, Act, and Invest Like Warren Buffett: “You could not spend a more profitable hour than reading Larry Swedroe’s wise and lucid investment guide.” —Burton Malkiel, author, A Random Walk Down Wall Street “If you've been wondering why you've had such a hard time investing well, Playing the Winner's Game will diagnose your ills and treat them in just ninety short, delightful pages.” —William Bernstein, author, A Splendid Exchange and The Investor’s Manifesto “Follow the investment strategy advocated by Larry Swedroe, and free yourself to spend your time on life's treasures—like your family and friends!” —William Reichenstein, professor, Baylor University “As someone who teaches a college investments course, I would not have thought it possible to do what Swedroe has done in such a short concise book.” —Edward R. Wolfe, professor of finance, Western Kentucky University “It's amazing. Larry Swedroe managed to pen a magnificent book not only chock full of actionable advice, but one that's fun to read. Get a copy and treat yourself to a better financial future.” —Harold Evensky, president, Evensky & Katz “Larry Swedroe is the undisputed expert in helping investors manage portfolios the smart way. His new book, Playing the Winner’s Game, combines all facets of wealth management in an inspiring and powerful manner.” —Bill Schultheis, author, The New Coffeehouse Investor

Book Your Complete Guide to a Successful and Secure Retirement

Download or read book Your Complete Guide to a Successful and Secure Retirement written by Larry E. Swedroe and published by Harriman House Limited. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fully revised and updated second edition. This is your one-stop, definitive resource as you prepare for a secure and comfortable retirement. Investment and personal finance experts Larry Swedroe and Kevin Grogan present uniquely comprehensive coverage of every important aspect you need to think about as you approach retirement, including: Social Security, Medicare, investment planning strategy, portfolio maintenance, preparing your heirs, retirement issues faced by women, the threat of elder financial abuse, going beyond financials to think about your happiness, and much more. These topics are explained with the help of specialists in each subject. And everything is based on the "science of investing" – evidenced with studies from peer-reviewed journals. Overall, this adds up to a complete retirement guide, packed with the latest and best knowledge. Don't enter your retirement without it.

Book The Quest for Alpha

Download or read book The Quest for Alpha written by Larry E. Swedroe and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-12-20 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The final word on passive vs. active investing The debate on active investing-stock picking and market timing-versus passive investing-markets are highly efficient and almost impossible to outperform-has raged for decades. Which side is right? In The Quest for Alpha: The Holy Grail of Investing, author Larry E. Swedroe puts an end to the debate, proving once and for all that active investing is likely to prove futile as the associated expenses-costs, fees, and time spent analyzing individual stocks and the overall market-are likely to exceed any benefits gained. The book Presents research, data, and quotations that reveal it's extremely difficult to outperform the market Explains why investors should focus on asset allocation, fund construction, costs, tax efficiency, and the building of a globally diversified portfolio that minimizes, if not eliminates, the taking of idiosyncratic, uncompensated risks Other titles by Swedroe: The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You'll Ever Need and The Only Guide You'll Ever Need for the Right Financial Plan Investors are on a never-ending search for a money manager who will deliver returns above the appropriate risk-adjusted benchmark, aka the "Holy Grail of Investing." The Quest for Alpha demonstrates that it's a loser's game-while it's possible to win, it's so unlikely that you shouldn't try.