IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/sza/wpaper/wpapers328.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A constrained hierarchical risk parity algorithm with cluster-based capital allocation

Author

Listed:
  • Johann Pfitzinger

    (Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University)

  • Nico Katzke

    (Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University & Prescient Securities, Cape Town)

Abstract

Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP) is a risk-based portfolio optimisation algorithm, which has been shown to generate diversified portfolios with robust out-of-sample properties without the need for a positive-definite return covariance matrix (Lopez de Prado 2016). The algorithm applies machine learning techniques to identify the underlying hierarchical correlation structure of the portfolio, allowing clusters of similar assets to compete for capital. The resulting allocation is both well-diversified over risk sources and intuitively appealing. This paper proposes a method of fully exploiting the information created by the clustering process, achieving enhanced out-of-sample risk and return characteristics. In addition, a practical approach to calculating HRP weights under box and group constraints is introduced. A comprehensive set of portfolio simulations over 6 equity universes demonstrates the appeal of the algorithm for portfolios consisting of 20 - 200 assets. HRP delivers highly diversified allocations with low volatility, low portfolio turnover and competitive performance metrics.

Suggested Citation

  • Johann Pfitzinger & Nico Katzke, 2019. "A constrained hierarchical risk parity algorithm with cluster-based capital allocation," Working Papers 14/2019, Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:sza:wpaper:wpapers328
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.ekon.sun.ac.za/wpapers/2019/wp142019/wp142019.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2019
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Victor DeMiguel & Lorenzo Garlappi & Raman Uppal, 2009. "Optimal Versus Naive Diversification: How Inefficient is the 1-N Portfolio Strategy?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(5), pages 1915-1953, May.
    2. Roncalli, Thierry, 2013. "Introduction to Risk Parity and Budgeting," MPRA Paper 47679, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Tola, Vincenzo & Lillo, Fabrizio & Gallegati, Mauro & Mantegna, Rosario N., 2008. "Cluster analysis for portfolio optimization," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 235-258, January.
    4. Kolm, Petter N. & Tütüncü, Reha & Fabozzi, Frank J., 2014. "60 Years of portfolio optimization: Practical challenges and current trends," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 234(2), pages 356-371.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. MohammadAmin Fazli & Parsa Alian & Ali Owfi & Erfan Loghmani, 2021. "RPS: Portfolio Asset Selection using Graph based Representation Learning," Papers 2111.15634, arXiv.org.
    2. Peter Cotton, 2024. "Schur Complementary Allocation: A Unification of Hierarchical Risk Parity and Minimum Variance Portfolios," Papers 2411.05807, arXiv.org.
    3. Illya Barziy & Marcin Chlebus, 2020. "HRP performance comparison in portfolio optimization under various codependence and distance metrics," Working Papers 2020-21, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    4. Yukari Shirota & Basabi Chakraborty, 2022. "Amplitude-Based Time Series Data Clustering Method," Gakushuin Economic Papers, Gakushuin University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 127-140.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kremer, Philipp J. & Lee, Sangkyun & Bogdan, Małgorzata & Paterlini, Sandra, 2020. "Sparse portfolio selection via the sorted ℓ1-Norm," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Lauren Stagnol, 2015. "Designing a corporate bond index on solvency criteria," EconomiX Working Papers 2015-39, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    3. Rad, Hossein & Low, Rand Kwong Yew & Miffre, Joëlle & Faff, Robert, 2020. "Does sophistication of the weighting scheme enhance the performance of long-short commodity portfolios?," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 164-180.
    4. Valle, C.A. & Meade, N. & Beasley, J.E., 2014. "Absolute return portfolios," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 20-41.
    5. Thomas Trier Bjerring & Omri Ross & Alex Weissensteiner, 2017. "Feature selection for portfolio optimization," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 256(1), pages 21-40, September.
    6. Burkhardt, Raphael & Ulrych, Urban, 2023. "Sparse and stable international portfolio optimization and currency risk management," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    7. Marielle de Jong & Lauren Stagnol, 2016. "A fundamental bond index including solvency criteria," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(4), pages 280-294, July.
    8. Marie Brière & Ariane Szafarz, 2021. "When it rains, it pours: Multifactor asset management in good and bad times," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 44(3), pages 641-669, September.
    9. Xidonas, Panos & Hassapis, Christis & Soulis, John & Samitas, Aristeidis, 2017. "Robust minimum variance portfolio optimization modelling under scenario uncertainty," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 60-71.
    10. Xing, Xin & Hu, Jinjin & Yang, Yaning, 2014. "Robust minimum variance portfolio with L-infinity constraints," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 107-117.
    11. Olessia Caillé & Daria Onori, 2019. "Conditional Risk-Based Portfolio," Finance, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, vol. 40(2), pages 77-117.
    12. Eom, Cheoljun & Park, Jong Won, 2018. "A new method for better portfolio investment: A case of the Korean stock market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 213-231.
    13. Lassance, Nathan & Vrins, Frédéric, 2019. "Robust portfolio selection using sparse estimation of comoment tensors," LIDAM Discussion Papers LFIN 2019007, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Finance (LFIN).
    14. Salo, Ahti & Doumpos, Michalis & Liesiö, Juuso & Zopounidis, Constantin, 2024. "Fifty years of portfolio optimization," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 318(1), pages 1-18.
    15. Braga, Maria Debora & Nava, Consuelo Rubina & Zoia, Maria Grazia, 2023. "Kurtosis-based vs volatility-based asset allocation strategies: Do they share the same properties? A first empirical investigation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    16. Nathan Lassance & Frédéric Vrins, 2021. "Minimum Rényi entropy portfolios," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 23-46, April.
    17. Santos, André Alves Portela & Ferreira, Alexandre R., 2017. "On the choice of covariance specifications for portfolio selection problems," Brazilian Review of Econometrics, Sociedade Brasileira de Econometria - SBE, vol. 37(1), May.
    18. Timo Dimitriadis & Yannick Hoga, 2023. "Regressions under Adverse Conditions," Papers 2311.13327, arXiv.org, revised Feb 2025.
    19. Mynbayeva, Elmira & Lamb, John D. & Zhao, Yuan, 2022. "Why estimation alone causes Markowitz portfolio selection to fail and what we might do about it," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 301(2), pages 694-707.
    20. Thomas, Nisha Mary & Kashiramka, Smita & Yadav, Surendra Singh & Paul, Justin, 2022. "Role of emerging markets vis-à-vis frontier markets in improving portfolio diversification benefits," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 95-121.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Risk Parity; Diversification; Portfolio Optimisation; Clustering;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sza:wpaper:wpapers328. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Melt van Schoor (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/desunza.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.