All tagged stocks

Quantum Finance: How Quantum Computers Will Change The World of Quantitative Finance

Quantitative Analysts, or “quants”, use complex algorithms and mathematical models to analyze data and predict outcomes, critical skills in the world of stock trading. Before the 1970s and 80s, successful traders sat down with CEOs and economists to gain exclusive information that, when combined with their intuition, allowed them to hedge educated bets on stocks. As market news became digitized, people with a background in math began to realize that stock markets displayed patterns, and complex models could be used to predict whether a stock was going up or down. They started using computers to analyze vast amounts of data, putting information through algorithms designed by mathematicians and computer scientists that returned instructions on buying or selling a particular stock. As computer technology advanced, algorithms became more complex, and the field of quantitative finance grew. Today, almost every trader, from day traders to massive hedge funds, uses research done by quants to help them decide which stocks to buy and sell. 

Time for a Ban on Congress Trading

Due to the pandemic and a lack of trust in the U.S. government, the ban on trading for the members of Congress has surfaced as one of the top issues within our borders. The proposal called the Ban Conflicted Trade Act has gained a lot of traction and backing from government officials, so it is just a matter of time before it is enforced. Proposed over a year ago, the bill “prohibits a Member of Congress from (1) purchasing or selling specified investments, (2) entering into a transaction that creates a net short position in a security, or (3) serving as an officer or member of any board of a for-profit entity” (“H.R.1579 - Ban Conflicted Trading Act,” 2021). This issue entered into the spotlight due to members of Congress making trades directly before and during the pandemic. This claim is backed by the multiple cases of suspect trading activities occurring at optimal times.