Talking Points:
• The G20, central bankers and hedge fund managers amongst others have voiced concern over 'volatility'
• Volatility is commonly referred to as a 'risk' measure, but it is more appropriately an activity gauge
• In the effort to keep volatility low, the markets have become distorted and further dependent on low vol
Want to develop a more in-depth knowledge on the market and strategies? Check out the DailyFX Trading Guides we have produced on a range of topics.
Is volatility a bad thing? When any hint of it can trigger a landslide in the capital markets, it is. That is the situation we have found the markets move towards over the past years. Volatility is a natural element of the markets with regular ebb and flow. Robust markets should be able to tolerate or even advance on periods of higher activity. However, the conditions we find ourselves in today are distinctly dependent on low volatility conditions. After years of accommodative and unorthodox monetary policy being pumped into the system, speculative and economic stability demand quiet financial conditions - in essence requiring extreme (low) volatility levels. This need for low volatility will likely usher in the next crisis. How are markets positioned around this elemental factor? How long can it persist? What is likely to set it off? We discuss that in this weekend Strategy Video.
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