Methods and apparatus for improving factor risk model responsiveness

1. A computer-based method of estimating a factor-factor covariance matrix of a factor risk model comprising:

storing data for the factors to be included in the factor risk model in a memory, wherein said memory is a non-transitory computer readable media;

grouping factor returns from a time series history of factor returns to form two or more equal length segments that overlap by a programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software;

computing a measure of volatility for each segment by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software;

computing a segment adjustment factor for all segments by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software such that the segment adjustment factor for each segment is calculated as a ratio of the volatility measure of the most recent segment divided by the volatility measure of the segment;

computing a factor return adjustment factor for each factor return employing an interpolation approach that generates a continuous interpolation of the segment adjustment factors by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software;

computing each element of the factor-factor covariance matrix as an exponentially weighted covariance of the time series of the products of historical factor returns and each factor return adjustment factor by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software; and

outputting the factor-factor covariance matrix as an electronic output by an output device.

2. The method of claim 1 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used in computing the volatility of a portfolio of assets.

3. The method of claim 1 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used to rebalance an investment portfolio.

4. The method of claim 1 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used in a performance attribution analysis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a number of consecutive overlapping segments, N, are formed; and a ratio of two consecutive scaling factors δ n and δ n−1 varies no more than 10% or 0.9≦δ n /δ n−1 ≦1.1, for n=2, . . . , N.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interpolation approach is cubic spline interpolation.

7. A computer-based apparatus for estimating the factor-factor covariance matrix of a factor risk model comprising:

a programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software operating to:

store data for the factors to be included in the factor risk model in a memory, wherein said memory is a non-transitory computer readable media;

group factor returns from a time series history of factor returns to form two or more equal length segments that overlap;

compute a measure of volatility for each segment;

compute a segment adjustment factor for all segments such that the adjusted measure of volatility for each segment is calculated as a ratio of the volatility measure of the most recent segment divided by the volatility measure of the segment;

compute a factor return adjustment factor for each factor return employing an interpolation approach that generates a continuous interpolation of the segment adjustment factors; and

compute each element of the factor-factor covariance matrix as an exponentially weighted variance of the time series of the products of historical factor returns and each factor return adjustment factors; and

an output means for outputting the factor-factor covariance matrix as an electronic output.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used in computing the volatility of a portfolio of assets.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used by the programmed processor to rebalance an investment portfolio.

10. The method of claim 7 where the output factor-factor covariance matrix is used by the programmed processor to perform a performance attribution analysis.

11. A computer-based method of estimating the variance of a factor in a factor risk model comprising the steps of:

storing data for the factor in a memory, wherein said memory is a non-transitory computer readable media;

determining a time series history of factor returns for the factor over a set of historical times by a programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software;

calculating a set of exponentially decaying weights with a fixed half life corresponding to the time series history of factor returns by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software;

computing a metric of volatility for each historical time by the programmed processor cooperating with memory and with software;

calculating a set of volatility adjustment multipliers by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software as the ratios of most recent volatility metric to the computed volatility metric;

determining when at least one volatility adjustment multiplier is outside a predetermined range;

adjusting the at least one volatility adjustment multiplier to a value in the predetermined range;

computing the factor-factor covariance for the time series of factor returns using the volatility adjustment multipliers within the range and any adjusted volatility adjustment multipliers for any volatility adjustment multipliers determined to be outside the range by the programmed processor cooperating with the memory and with software; and

outputting the factor variance as part of a factor risk model as an electronic output by an output device, wherein the predetermined range extends from 0.80 to 1.25.