Understanding Swap Agreements: A Foundation for Cleared Swaps vs Uncleared Swaps Swap agreements are derivative contracts where two parties agree to exchange cash flows based on a specified notional principal amount. These agreements derive their value from an underlying asset or benchmark, such as an interest rate, currency exchange rate, or commodity price. Common types … Read more
Understanding the Broad Money Supply (M2) The broad money supply, commonly known as M2, represents the total amount of money circulating in an economy. It includes readily available cash, checking accounts, savings accounts, and other easily accessible funds. Understanding M2 is crucial because it acts as a key indicator of economic health and potential inflationary … Read more
Understanding Treasury Bill Discount Rates Treasury bills (T-bills) are short-term debt securities issued by the U.S. government. They are considered one of the safest investments available because they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Investors purchase T-bills at a discount from their face value, and at maturity, the investor … Read more
SOFR Explained: A Simple Overview The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) serves as a crucial benchmark interest rate in the United States, reflecting the cost of borrowing overnight on a secured basis. Understanding the current 1 month SOFR rate is vital for numerous financial activities. Unlike its predecessor, the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), SOFR … Read more
Defining Volumetric Flow and Its Significance Volumetric flow, at its core, quantifies the amount of fluid that passes a specific point over a given period. It is a fundamental concept across various scientific and engineering disciplines. To understand what is the rate of flow, one must recognize it as the measure of how much fluid, … Read more
Grasping the Concept of Portfolio Variability Understanding how to find portfolio variance is fundamental for any investor aiming to navigate the complexities of the market. Portfolio variance, at its core, is a measure of the dispersion of returns around the average return of a portfolio. It essentially quantifies the risk associated with your investments, indicating … Read more
Understanding the Arithmetic Average Rate of Return The arithmetic average rate of return is a straightforward calculation that determines the average annual return of an investment over a specified period. It’s a fundamental metric used to evaluate investment performance, providing a simple snapshot of how well an investment has done on average each year. For … Read more
What is Skewness and Why Does It Matter? Skewness, in essence, is a measure of the asymmetry of a probability distribution. It reveals the extent to which a distribution leans more towards one side, rather than being symmetrical. Understanding skewness is crucial in various analytical fields, including data analysis and statistics. The shape of a … Read more
Understanding Total Shareholder Return Total Shareholder Return (TSR) is a pivotal metric for investors seeking to gauge the overall profitability of their investments in a company’s stock. It transcends the mere fluctuation of a stock’s price by incorporating both capital appreciation and dividend distributions. Capital appreciation refers to the increase in the market value of … Read more
Introducing Skewness in Data Skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of a probability distribution. A symmetrical distribution, like a perfect bell curve, has a skewness of zero. However, real-world data is rarely perfectly symmetrical. Skewed distributions have a long tail extending to one side, indicating a concentration of data points on one end and … Read more