Evolution of the ETF market, impact of the regulations, ongoing development at BNP Paribas Asset Management...Isabelle Bourcier, Head of quantitative and index management at BNP Paribas Asset Management shares its view with Next-Finance.

‘Smart beta' sounds like an oxymoron. How smart can it be to continue using the same strategy in such fickle markets? A portfolio manager calling on all his skills (‘alpha') in analysing market environments (the source of ‘beta') should be able to outperform an unchanged algorithm, right? And yet, for several decades, findings in behavioural psychology have cast doubt on this assumption.

The recently theorised phenomenon of "disruption" is defined as a process whereby a product, a service or a solution disrupts the rules on an already established market. Technological progress, along with the globalisation of trade and demographic changes are now helping to spread it to every sector of the economy.

This research paper focuses on the inseparable relationship between implied repo rates and equity index total return swaps. Written by Stuart Heath, Director Equity & Index R&D at Eurex, it covers the various aspects and calculations of both repo rates and the TRS.

Jean-Philippe Médecin, funding and asset-liability management director within the CNP Assurances investment department and its team are increasingly integrating hedges to limit the effects of market drawdowns…