Abstract: A data representation is deployed that comprises instances of a software object implementing a particular systematic trading strategy; there are multiple such instances (‘strategy instances’), each corresponding to a different trading strategy, with a strategy instance being paired with a tradable instrument. The method comprises the steps of: (a) each strategy instance providing an estimate of its returns; (b) using Bayesian inference to assess predefined characteristics of each estimate; (c) allocating capital to specific strategy instance/instrument pairings depending on the estimated returns and the associated characteristics. The object based representation is both flexible and powerful; because it directly supports a Bayesian inference, it is functionally better than known approaches because it allows characteristics, such as the reliability of the return estimates to be quantified and modelled and the accuracy of the return estimates to be improved.

Abstract: A secure communication network operates between a central administrator (a hedge fund of funds), and numerous separate investment funds, each investment fund including several different instruments; each instrument in a portfolio is modelled as a software component that responds to a common risk factor response API. This addresses technical implementation issues associated with a second aspect of the invention, namely a method in which the FoFs actively sets a risk budget for its underlying, individual funds or associated managers. The risk budget can be dynamically set by the hedge funds of funds in real time using a secure electronic protocol.

Abstract: Hence, the invention is a contribution to the field of designing computer implemented systems that test how different trading algorithms work when fed historic data (‘backtesting’). It teaches an efficient and effective data representation that comprises two elements. First, an object-based representation of each trading strategy; each object is instantiated as a ‘strategy instance’. Secondly, a pairing between any tradable instrument and any strategy instance; the pairing is called an ‘account’. A key advantage of the data representation is that the data in each account is held in a matrix format; these are easily and efficiently stored in standard relational databases. Further, operating the method involves large scale matrix operations, which are fast and computationally efficient within a matrix based language. Conventional approaches do not store data in a matrix format and hence fail to achieve the computational efficiency possible with the present invention.