Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Mean-variance versus full-scale optimization: Broad evidence for the UK

Hagstroemer, Bjorn ; Anderson, Richard G. ; Binner, Jane M. ; Elger, Thomas LU and Nilsson, Birger LU (2008) In Manchester School 76(s1). p.134-156
Abstract
Portfolio choice by full-scale optimization applies the empirical return distribution to a parameterized utility function, and the maximum is found through numerical optimization. Using a portfolio choice setting of three UK equity indices we identify several utility functions featuring loss aversion and prospect theory, under which full-scale optimization is a substantially better approach than the mean-variance approach. As the equity indices have return distributions with small deviations from normality, the findings indicate much broader usefulness of full-scale optimization than has earlier been shown. The results hold in- and out-of-sample, and the performance improvements are given in terms of utility as well as certainty... (More)
Portfolio choice by full-scale optimization applies the empirical return distribution to a parameterized utility function, and the maximum is found through numerical optimization. Using a portfolio choice setting of three UK equity indices we identify several utility functions featuring loss aversion and prospect theory, under which full-scale optimization is a substantially better approach than the mean-variance approach. As the equity indices have return distributions with small deviations from normality, the findings indicate much broader usefulness of full-scale optimization than has earlier been shown. The results hold in- and out-of-sample, and the performance improvements are given in terms of utility as well as certainty equivalents. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Manchester School
volume
76
issue
s1
pages
134 - 156
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000259038600007
  • scopus:49749105257
ISSN
1463-6786
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-9957.2008.01084.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c0300b33-a38f-44c8-8a33-419790e38482 (old id 1246876)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:47:55
date last changed
2022-01-26 18:24:33
@article{c0300b33-a38f-44c8-8a33-419790e38482,
  abstract     = {{Portfolio choice by full-scale optimization applies the empirical return distribution to a parameterized utility function, and the maximum is found through numerical optimization. Using a portfolio choice setting of three UK equity indices we identify several utility functions featuring loss aversion and prospect theory, under which full-scale optimization is a substantially better approach than the mean-variance approach. As the equity indices have return distributions with small deviations from normality, the findings indicate much broader usefulness of full-scale optimization than has earlier been shown. The results hold in- and out-of-sample, and the performance improvements are given in terms of utility as well as certainty equivalents.}},
  author       = {{Hagstroemer, Bjorn and Anderson, Richard G. and Binner, Jane M. and Elger, Thomas and Nilsson, Birger}},
  issn         = {{1463-6786}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{s1}},
  pages        = {{134--156}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Manchester School}},
  title        = {{Mean-variance versus full-scale optimization: Broad evidence for the UK}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9957.2008.01084.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1467-9957.2008.01084.x}},
  volume       = {{76}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}