What is the difference between systematic and discretionary investors?

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Comments

Transcript

Episode notes

Systematic investors manage risk through diversification, while discretionary investors manage risk by conducting deep fundamental dives into a concentrated portfolio. The value of deep research lies in identifying longer-term, persistent business model adjustments or evaluation concepts that cannot be replicated by quant filters. Historical data is used by systematic investors to build quant models and identify patterns. On the other hand, fundamental investors rely on non-quantifiable variables like changes in the environment or political factors, which defy historical data and statistical robustness. The intersection between the two approaches occurs when fundamental ideas go against the traditional quantitative framework.

After March 2020, a growing research interest of mine was the question, “how do strategies reflexively impact the markets they trade?” Beyond crowding risk, can adoption of strategies fundamentally change market dynamics.

In Season 3 Episode 11, I spoke with Omer Cedar, who argues that equity quants have done precisely that. The mass adoption of factor models, whether for alpha or risk, fundamentally changed how baskets of stocks are bought and sold. For a discretionary manager to ignore this sea change is to ignore a fundamental shift in the current of the water they swim in.

In this clip from the episode, Omer discusses how quants have changed the market and how fundamental managers should use this information to sharpen their edge.