Description: A primer on Credit Default Swaps

Description: This article discusses Asset-Backed Securities as a low volatility alternative to Intermediate Government Bonds.

Description: This article discusses the use of financial economics in managing pension plans and warns of issues with rapid change in this area.

Description: This chairperson’s corner will address many of the upcoming challenges for the Investment Section, how it might affect you, and how we will call upon you to help. There are a number of changes going on at the SOA, many that I am sure you are aware of. Specifically, the roles for the SOA sections are broadening to include many of the roles and responsibilities that used to reside in the practice areas. While there are some activities and functions that are still being developed further, many of our roles are now very clear. From Risks and Rewards Newsletter, August 2005, Issue No. 47.

Description: Hedge funds have grown tremendously over the last few years and will continue to grow, with invested assets currently being estimated at well over $1 trillion worldwide. The author concludes “I do strongly believe that the contradictory philosophies of traditional investment management versus hedge funds have to be carefully considered, reflected upon and evaluated ...”

Description: This article shows a different form of the Black-Scholes formula for European calls and puts under risk-neutral assumptions, that permits a comfortable verbal interpretation. The derivation of this alternative form appears at the end of the article.

Description: This article provides key insights and data samples about various approaches to pension investing. Article from Risk and Rewards, August 2006, Issue No. 48.

Description: This article examines trends of the stock market beginning with Dow theory - market prices tend to trend either upwards, a bull trend, or downwards, a bear trend. It discusses the many trading rules based on diverse patterns in the price series since the time of Dow including strictly filter rules.

Description: This article discusses facts and issues related to the selection of a stock’s price distribution.

Description: “Investments in securities are traditionally evaluated on a standalone basis by using ratios that summarize the relation¬ship between anticipated risks and rewards. These ratios could also be used to better quantify the relationship between the standalone risks and rewards of life and annuity products and thus enhance the capital allocation process. These ratios will be discussed and critiqued.” The article describes how “the . . . ratios can help tie modeled product risks to modeled rewards.”