Description: Reviews anecdotal evidence that the current shift to passive investing is an indication that investors are irrationally ignoring market risk.

Description: The following vidoe is from Eric Milner, ASA MAAA Vice President and Actuary at Risk Strategies Company. IN this video he takes us through the intricated world of investment, risks, asset allocation, and fundamental theories of quantitative finance. The session begins by dissecting Market Risk, Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk, and Operational Risk, emphasizing the importance of not just identifying but quantifying and managing these risks intelligently. Strategies for Asset Allocation and Diversification are discussed alongside cornerstone theories such as Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). The Efficient Market Hypothesis and Behavioral Finance shed light on market dynamics and the impact of psychological influences on financial decision-making, providing a comprehensive understanding essential for sophisticated investment strategies and informed financial analysis. Contributors: Eric Milner, ASA, MAAA; Richard Vaccaro, FSA, MAAA ; Diyi Zhao ASA, MAAA; Jon Forster ASA, MAAA

Description: The impact of Fed’s QE program on the financial markets has been enormous and profound. The tapering and the eventual removal of the stimulus will be equally enormous and profound, and may be disruptive. To adapt to the potential regime change in near future, some investment strategies have been proposed: (1) shorten duration to focus on the short end of the yield curve and create laddered portfolios; (2) reduce allocation to high yield bonds; (3) rotate out interest rate sensitive sectors such as utilities; and (4) use interest rate derivatives to hedge the interest rate uncertainties lying ahead. On the other hand, contrarians who see the QE program continuing may stay the course and consider (1) adding duration, (2) gaining exposure to high yield bonds, and (3) increasing allocation to utilities and telecoms.

Description: A strategy is shown to yield greater amount and sustainability of retirement income by coordinating draws from retirement savings and home equity.

Description: Investment opportunities are driven by events in the economy and how participants in the financial markets react to those events. This keynote address will highlight current economic themes and their impact on investment opportunities.

Description: This article provides a retrospective on investment risk management while highlighting actuarial tools used by portfolio risk managers.

Description: This session will provide an overview of recent developments from the perspective of an insurance company and an auditor.

Description: What is the impact of aging populations on economic growth and interest rates?” “Are low interest rates and inflation a short-term phenomenon?” “How will returns from different asset classes be impacted by future demographic trends?” “What are the differences between different countries and regions around the world?”

Description: This report reviews the academic literature on risk aggregation and diversification as well as the regulatory approaches. We will point out the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches with a focus on model risk issues.