The purpose of this study is to present and test a general framework for risk-based investing. It permits various risk-based portfolios such as the global minimum variance, equal risk contribution and equal weight portfolios. The framework also allows for different estimation techniques to be used in finding the portfolios. The design of the study is to collate the existing research on risk-based investing, to analyse some modern methods to reduce estimation risk, to incorporate them in a single coherent framework, and to test the result with South African equity data. The techniques to reduce estimation risk draw from the usual mean-variance and risk-based optimisation literature. The techniques include regime switching, quantile regression, regularisation and subset resampling. In the South African experiment, risk-based portfolios materially outperformed the market weight portfolio out-of-sample using a Sharpe ratio measure. Additionally, the global minimum variance portfolio performed better than other risk-based portfolios. Given the long estimation window, no estimation techniques consistently outperformed the application of sample estimators only.

This thesis investigates robust techniques for mean-variance (MV) portfolio optimization problems under the estimation risk in mean return. We evaluate the performance of the optimal portfolios generated by the min-max robust MV portfolio optimization model. With an ellipsoidal uncertainty set based on the statistics of the sample mean estimates, minmax robust portfolios equal to the ones from the standard MV model based on the nominal mean estimates but with larger risk aversion parameters. With an interval uncertainty set for mean return, min-max robust portfolios can vary significantly with the initial data used to generate the uncertainty set. In addition, by focusing on the worst-case scenario in the mean return uncertainty set, min-max robust portfolios can be too conservative and unable to achieve a high return. Adjusting the conservatism level of min-max robust portfolios can only be achieved by excluding poor mean return scenarios from the uncertainty set, which runs counter to the principle of min-max robustness. We propose a CVaR robust MV portfolio optimization model in which the estimation risk is measured by the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). We show that, using CVaR to quantify the estimation risk in mean return, the conservatism level of CVaR robust portfolios can be more naturally adjusted by gradually including better mean return scenarios. Moreover, we compare min-max robust portfolios (with an interval uncertainty set for mean return) and CVaR robust portfolios in terms of actual frontier variation, portfolio efficiency, and portfolio diversification. Finally, a computational method based on a smoothing technique is implemented to solve the optimization problem in the CVaR robust model. We numerically show that, compared with the quadratic programming (QP) approach, the smoothing approach is more computationally efficient for computing CVaR robust portfolios.

This thesis investigates robust techniques for mean-variance (MV) portfolio optimization problems under the estimation risk in mean return. We evaluate the performance of the optimal portfolios generated by the min-max robust MV portfolio optimization model. With an ellipsoidal uncertainty set based on the statistics of the sample mean estimates, minmax robust portfolios equal to the ones from the standard MV model based on the nominal mean estimates but with larger risk aversion parameters. With an interval uncertainty set for mean return, min-max robust portfolios can vary significantly with the initial data used to generate the uncertainty set. In addition, by focusing on the worst-case scenario in the mean return uncertainty set, min-max robust portfolios can be too conservative and unable to achieve a high return. Adjusting the conservatism level of min-max robust portfolios can only be achieved by excluding poor mean return scenarios from the uncertainty set, which runs counter to the principle of min-max robustness. We propose a CVaR robust MV portfolio optimization model in which the estimation risk is measured by the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR). We show that, using CVaR to quantify the estimation risk in mean return, the conservatism level of CVaR robust portfolios can be more naturally adjusted by gradually including better mean return scenarios. Moreover, we compare min-max robust portfolios (with an interval uncertainty set for mean return) and CVaR robust portfolios in terms of actual frontier variation, portfolio efficiency, and portfolio diversification. Finally, a computational method based on a smoothing technique is implemented to solve the optimization problem in the CVaR robust model. We numerically show that, compared with the quadratic programming (QP) approach, the smoothing approach is more computationally efficient for computing CVaR robust portfolios.

假設真實輸入參數可以事先預知，實際上，透過平均數-變異數的投資組合量化模式，效率前緣將會往右下方移動。這也意謂倘若保險公司的投資策略有達到效率前緣的情況下，保險法146條的投資上限將使得保險公司的投資報酬率降低，以及投資風險增加。給定投資上限反而降低保險公司的投資績效。然而真實輸入參數並無法事先預知，因此根據過去的經驗資料以及主觀判斷來估計輸入參數將是作為取代真實參數的作法。而估計誤差的存在將勢難避免。同時平均數-變異數模式所決定的投資組合會過度投資在高估投資報酬率以及低估投資風險的股票上，因此估計誤差的影響將是不容忽略。並且保險公司在追求資產極大化的同時，有其必要兼顧到估計誤差的影響。 本研究主要有三個主題，首先我們透過平均數-變異數模式來探討估計誤差對投資組合的影響。緊接著就投資上限與估計風險的關係進行研究。最後分析股票淨利率限制和投資上限之間的關係，並且解釋存在的功能以及探討是否有其存在的必要性。 本研究結果發現現行的單一股票的投資上限(七分之一)不但降低了投資風險，並且改善了真實反應的投資報酬率低於6%，甚至為負值的問題。並且就淨利率上限為6%的合適性而言，除非保險公司採取的投資策略非常的保守，否則還不如放寬，或者廢除。

The combination of two or more portfolio rules is theoretically convex in return-risk space, which provides for a new class of portfolio rules that gives purpose to the Mean-Variance framework out-of-sample. The author investigates the performance loss from estimation risk between the unconstrained Mean-Variance portfolio and the out-of-sample Global Minimum Variance portfolio. A new two-fund rule is developed in a specific class of combined rules, between the equally weighted portfolio and a mean-variance portfolio with the covariance matrix being estimated by linear shrinkage. The study shows that this rule performs well out-of-sample when covariance estimation error and bias are balanced. The rule is performing at least as good as its peer group in this class of combined rules.

Notre intérêt dans cette thèse est de combiner les différentes techniques de mesure du risque opérationnel dans les secteurs financiers, et on s'intéresse plus particulièrement aux conséquences du risque d'estimation dans les modèles, qui est un risque opérationnel particulier. Nous allons présenter les concepts mathématiques et actuariels associés ainsi qu'une application numérique en ce qui concerne l'approche de mesure avancée comme Loss Distribution pour calculer l'exigence en capital. En plus, on se concentre sur le risque d'estimation illustré avec l'analyse des scénarios de l'opinion d'experts en conjonction avec des données de pertes internes pour évaluer notre exposition aux évènements de gravité. Nous concluons cette première partie en définissant une technique de mise l'échelle sur la base de (MCO) qui nous permet de normaliser nos données externes à une banque locale Libanaise.Dans la deuxième partie, on donne de l'importance sur la mesure de l'erreur induite sur le SCR par l'erreur d'estimation des paramètres, on propose une méthode alternative pour estimer une courbe de taux et on termine par attirer l'attention sur les réflexions autour des hypothèses de calcul et ce que l'on convient de qualifier d'hypothèse "cohérente avec les valeurs de marché" serait bien plus pertinente et efficace que la complexification du modèle, source d'instabilité supplémentaire, ainsi mettre en évidence le risque d'estimation qui est lié au risque opérationnel et doit être accordé beaucoup plus d'attention dans nos modèles de travail / Our interest in this thesis is first to combine the different measurement techniques for operational risk in financial companies, and we highlight more and more the consequences of estimation risk which is treated as a particular part of operational risk. In the first part, we will present a full overview of operational risk, from the regulatory laws and regulations to the associated mathematical and actuarial concepts as well as a numerical application regarding the Advanced Measurement Approach, like Loss Distribution to calculate the capital requirement, then applying the Extreme Value Theory. We conclude this first part by setting a scaling technique based on (OLS) enabling us to normalize our external data to a local Lebanese Bank. On the second part, we feature estimation risk by first measuring the error induced on the SCR by the estimation error of the parameters, to having an alternative yield curve estimation and finishing by calling attention to the reflections on assumptions of the calculation instead of focusing on the so called hypothesis "consistent with market values", would be more appropriate and effective than to complicate models and generate additional errors and instability. Chapters in this part illustrate the estimation risk in its different aspects which is a part of operational risk, highlighting as so the attention that should be given in treating our models

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions l'estimation de la valeur à risque conditionnelle (VaR) en tenant compte du risque d'estimation et du risque de modèle. Tout d'abord, nous considérons une méthode en deux étapes pour estimer la VaR. La première étape évalue le paramètre de volatilité en utilisant un estimateur quasi maximum de vraisemblance généralisé (gQMLE) fondé sur une densité instrumentale h. La seconde étape estime un quantile des innovations à partir du quantile empirique des résidus obtenus dans la première étape. Nous donnons des conditions sous lesquelles l'estimateur en deux étapes de la VaR est convergent et asymptotiquement normal. Nous comparons également les efficacités des estimateurs obtenus pour divers choix de la densité instrumentale h. Lorsque l'innovation n'est pas de densité h, la première étape donne généralement un estimateur biaisé de paramètre de volatilité et la seconde étape donne aussi un estimateur biaisé du quantile des innovations. Cependant, nous montrons que les deux erreurs se contrebalancent pour donner une estimation consistante de la VaR. Nous nous concentrons ensuite sur l'estimation de la VaR dans le cadre de modèles GARCH en utilisant le gQMLE fondé sur la classe des densités instrumentales double gamma généralisées qui contient la distribution gaussienne. Notre objectif est de comparer la performance du QMLE gaussien par rapport à celle du gQMLE. Le choix de l'estimateur optimal dépend essentiellement du paramètre d qui minimise la variance asymptotique. Nous testons si le paramètre d qui minimise la variance asymptotique est égal à 2. Lorsque le test est appliqué sur des séries réelles de rendements financiers, l'hypothèse stipulant l'optimalité du QMLE gaussien est généralement rejetée. Finalement, nous considérons les méthodes non-paramétriques d'apprentissage automatique pour estimer la VaR. Ces méthodes visent à s'affranchir du risque de modèle car elles ne reposent pas sur une forme spécifique de la volatilité. Nous utilisons la technique des machines à vecteurs de support pour la régression (SVR) basée sur la fonction de perte moindres carrés (en anglais LS). Pour améliorer la solution du modèle LS-SVR nous utilisons les modèles LS-SVR pondérés et LS-SVR de taille fixe. Des illustrations numériques mettent en évidence l'apport des modèles proposés pour estimer la VaR en tenant compte des risques de spécification et d'estimation. / In this thesis, we study the problem of conditional Value at Risk (VaR) estimation taking into account estimation risk and model risk. First, we considered a two-step method for VaR estimation. The first step estimates the volatility parameter using a generalized quasi maximum likelihood estimator (gQMLE) based on an instrumental density h. The second step estimates a quantile of innovations from the empirical quantile of residuals obtained in the first step. We give conditions under which the two-step estimator of the VaR is consistent and asymptotically normal. We also compare the efficiencies of the estimators for various instrumental densities h. When the distribution of is not the density h the first step usually gives a biased estimator of the volatility parameter and the second step gives a biased estimator of the quantile of the innovations. However, we show that both errors counterbalance each other to give a consistent estimate of the VaR. We then focus on the VaR estimation within the framework of GARCH models using the gQMLE based on a class of instrumental densities called double generalized gamma which contains the Gaussian distribution. Our goal is to compare the performance of the Gaussian QMLE against the gQMLE. The choice of the optimal estimator depends on the value of d that minimizes the asymptotic variance. We test if this parameter is equal 2. When the test is applied to real series of financial returns, the hypothesis stating the optimality of Gaussian QMLE is generally rejected. Finally, we consider non-parametric machine learning models for VaR estimation. These methods are designed to eliminate model risk because they are not based on a specific form of volatility. We use the support vector machine model for regression (SVR) based on the least square loss function (LS). In order to improve the solution of LS-SVR model, we used the weighted LS-SVR and the fixed size LS-SVR models. Numerical illustrations highlight the contribution of the proposed models for VaR estimation taking into account the risk of specification and estimation.

Our interest in this thesis is first to combine the different measurement techniques for operational risk in financial companies, and we highlight more and more the consequences of estimation risk which is treated as a particular part of operational risk. In the first part, we will present a full overview of operational risk, from the regulatory laws and regulations to the associated mathematical and actuarial concepts as well as a numerical application regarding the Advanced Measurement Approach, like Loss Distribution to calculate the capital requirement, then applying the Extreme Value Theory. We conclude this first part by setting a scaling technique based on (OLS) enabling us to normalize our external data to a local Lebanese Bank. On the second part, we feature estimation risk by first measuring the error induced on the SCR by the estimation error of the parameters, to having an alternative yield curve estimation and finishing by calling attention to the reflections on assumptions of the calculation instead of focusing on the so called hypothesis "consistent with market values", would be more appropriate and effective than to complicate models and generate additional errors and instability. Chapters in this part illustrate the estimation risk in its different aspects which is a part of operational risk, highlighting as so the attention that should be given in treating our models

本文包含關於估計風險與動態資產配置的兩篇研究。第一篇研究主要就當須估計的投資組合其投入參數具有高維度特質的觀點下，探究因忽略不確定性通膨而對資產配置過程中帶來的估計風險。此研究基於多重群組架構下所發展出的新投資決策法則，能夠確實地評價不確定性通膨對資產報酬的影響性，並在應用於建構大規模投資組合時，能有效減少進行最適化投資決策過程中所需的演算時間與成本。而將此模型應用於建構全球ETFs投資組合的實證結果則進一步顯示，若在均值變異數架構下，因建構大型投資組合時須估計高維度投入參數而伴隨有大量估計風險時，參數估計方式建議結合採用貝氏估計方法來估算資產報酬的一階與二階動差，其所對應得到的投資組合樣本外績效會比直接採用歷史樣本動差來得佳。此實證結果亦隱含：在均值變異數架構下，穩定的參數估計值比起最新且即時的參數估計資訊對於投資組合的績效來得有益。同時，若當投入參數的樣本估計值波動很大時，增加放空限制亦能有利投組樣本外績效。 第二篇文章則主要處理當處於對數常態證券市場下時，投資組合報酬率不具有有限動差並導致無法在均值變異數架構下發展出最適化封閉解時的難題。本研究示範此時可透過漸近方法的應用，有效發展出在具有放空限制下，考量了估計風險後的簡單投資組合配置法則，並且展示如何將其應用至實務上的資產配置過程以建構全球投資組合。本文的數值範例與實證模擬結果皆顯示，估計風險的存在對於最適投資組合的選擇有實質的影響，無估計風險下得出的最適投資組合，不必然是存有估計風險下的最適投資組合。此外，實證模擬結果亦證明，當存有估計風險時，本文所發展的簡單法則，能使建構出的投資組合具有較佳的樣本外績效表現。 / This dissertation consists of two essays on dynamic asset allocation with regard to dealing with estimation risk as being in different uncertainties in the mean-variance framework. The first essay concerns estimation errors from disregarding uncertain inflation in terms of the need in estimating high-dimensional input parameters for portfolio optimization. This study presents simplified and valid criteria referred to as the EGP-IMG model based on the multi-group framework to be capable of pricing inflation risk in a world of uncertainty. Empirical studies shows the proposed model indeed provides a smart way in picking worldwide ETFs that serves well to reduce the amount of costs and time in constructing a global portfolio when facing a large number of investment products. The effect of Bayesian estimation on improving estimation risk as the decision maker is subject to history sample moments for input parameters estimations is meanwhile examined. The results indicate portfolios implementing the Stein estimation and shrinkage estimators offer better performance compared with those applying the history sample estimators. It implicitly demonstrates that yielding stable estimates for means and covariances is more critical in the MV framework than getting the newest up-to-date parameters estimates for improving portfolio performance. Though short-sales constraints intuitively should hurt, they do practically contribute to uplift portfolio performance as being subject to volatile estimates of returns moments. The second essay undertakes the difficulty that the probability distribution of a portfolio's returns may not have finite moments in a lognormal-securities market, and thus leads to the arduous problem in solving the closed-form solutions for the optimal portfolio under the mean-variance framework. As being in a lognormal-securities market, this study systematically delivers a simple rule in optimization with regard to the presence of estimation risk. The simple rule is derived accordingly by means of asymptotic properties when short sales are not allowed. The consequently numerical example specifies the detailed procedures and shows that the optimal portfolio with estimation risk is not equivalent to that ignoring the existence of estimation risk. In addition, the portfolio performance based on the proposed simple rule is examined to present a better out-of-sample portfolio performance relative to the benchmarks.

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