FinancialEdge: Could Higher Correlations Wreck Your Diversification Strategy?

Don't look now, but asset correlations have been rising again. While asset correlation is normally only a subject that would interest the true finance and math nerds among us, it has a very real impact on the regular investor's portfolio. In particular, it threatens the very heart of diversification and investors who believe themselves to be insulated from bad markets by a broad portfolio may be in for a very rude surprise. (For related reading, also see Top 5 Signs Of A Credit Crisis.)


What is Correlation?
Correlation is basically a mathematical measure of the extent to which two variables "move together". If Stock A moves 5% and Stock B moves 5%, the correlation is 100% (or 1.0). If there is no apparent linkage between the move of Stock A and Stock B, the correlation may be zero, and in some cases there can be negative correlation (as one goes up, the other goes down).

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Financial Edge: Easy Ways To Diversify Your Portfolio

Like a great car, diversification is something that almost everybody wants but seems hard to get if you do not have a lot of money to spend. Luckily for investors, there are more options now than ever before for adding diversity to a portfolio. Better still, these options are not all that expensive. (For more, see The Importance Of Diversification.)

Mutual Funds - Old, But UsefulAn actively-managed mutual fund is still an excellent way to diversify a portfolio. By allocating even just one "slot" of a portfolio to a mutual fund, an investor can draw on the accumulated benefit of potentially thousands of stocks, as well as the skill of the management team making the selections. Although some funds still charge loads, many do not and it is not hard to find funds that are likewise efficient with respect to expenses and taxes.


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