To understand how to control volatility in the financial market, one must first understand volatility. Volatility measures the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index. In other words, it is a statistical tool used to measure the amount of risk associated with a particular investment.
There are many ways investors attempt to control volatility in the financial markets. Some methods are more successful than others, but all have pros and cons. In this article, we will explore the popular ways investors use to manage risk.
Stablecoin Deployment
One way investors seek to control volatility is by using stablecoin deployment. The idea behind this strategy is for the investor to choose an asset that they believe will be more stable than other assets in which one might invest.
Suppose this currency also has a low or non-existent rate of inflation and therefore serves as a relatively safe store of value. In that case, it can be a robust tool for reducing one’s portfolio volatility.
The most popular type of stablecoin is fiat-backed cryptocurrencies. These coins have been described as being backed by tangible cash assets in a bank account with an equal number of tokens released on the market.
Hedging
Hedging is another way investors can control volatility in the financial market. It involves using different strategies to reduce the risk of adverse effects from price movements.
One common hedging strategy is buying put options on an asset one wishes to protect. This strategy allows the asset owner to sell it at a specified price before it becomes worthless. Another common hedging strategy is buying call options on a different asset, allowing the investor to benefit from a rise in the price of that other security. Both methods can be used to reduce risk and, therefore, volatility.
Market Timing Strategies
Investors choose to use many market timing strategies when seeking to control volatility and protect their portfolios.
One of the most common strategies is diversification, an investing method that involves dividing one’s assets among different types of investments with lower correlation to each other.
For example, if a person invests in blue-chip stocks and cryptocurrencies, they will benefit from rising stock prices and rising cryptocurrency prices. Investors commonly employ diversification when choosing stocks in different sectors, which typically have low or negative correlations with one another.
Another standard market timing method is trailing stops, which are designed to protect gains by selling an investment when it has risen in value. If this strategy is implemented early enough, you can use it to lock in profits. However, it can also result in capital losses if there is a market downturn before the sell order is executed.
Dividend Reinvestment
Another way investors can control volatility in the financial markets is by using dividend reinvestment plans designed to provide additional capital for stocks. This strategy works by allowing shareholders to use their dividends to purchase more security at a discounted price rather than receiving it as cash.
Since these strategies require investors to trade regularly, they can help reduce portfolio volatility by making it easier for investors to purchase more or less of an asset when its price is low.
Dollar-cost averaging is another popular technique that involves dividing the amount of money being invested into equal parts and then applying each element to an investment at different times over some time.
This popular strategy helps to smooth out the effects of volatility on a portfolio by reducing the impact of market fluctuations.
Passive Investment Strategies
Investors can use passive investment strategies to reduce volatility by implementing index funds in their portfolios.
Index funds are mutual funds that seek to match the performance of an established benchmark rather than using active trading strategies to beat the market.
This strategy helps lower volatility because it restricts the amount of buying and selling investors can do, forcing them to rely on their portfolio’s market returns rather than trying to beat the market.
Other common passive strategies include buying small amounts of a variety of different assets throughout the year and rebalancing portfolios by reducing investments in assets that have grown too large and increasing investments in assets that have dropped in value.
Herd Mentality
Another way to manage volatility is by following the herd mentality, which involves buying assets that are currently performing well and avoiding underperforming assets.
In doing so, investors can jump on the bandwagon and profit from selling highly-performing assets after they have peaked while avoiding significant losses associated with selling underperforming assets before they drop in price.
However, following herd mentality comes with some risk because investors may miss out on gains if they sell their investments too soon.
There are many ways that investors can control volatility in their portfolios. While some methods are more successful than others, diversification is essential for managing risk and preserving wealth.