Abstract: A method is provided of optimizing both market and institutional risks in foreign currency exchange hedging. The method includes the steps of selecting a VaR calculator and determining an optimization procedure to be used. The method also includes the steps of using the VaR calculator and the optimization procedure to determine an efficient frontier line and choosing trade-offs between institutional risk and market risk of losses.

Abstract: A method of evaluating long-term average portfolio risk and return for a cyclical corporation includes the steps of obtaining historical pricing information for financial instruments used for a relevant historical period and dividing the relevant historical period up into time segments. The method also includes calculating a gain or loss for each financial instrument in a portfolio for the time segments over the relevant historical period and obtaining actual cash level for each time segment and dividing up the actual cash level of the corporation between asset classes to determine what the portfolio is invested in. The method further includes the steps of determining an average return and risk for a typical one of the time segments over the historical period and using an optimization framework to pick out the most efficient portfolios in risk versus return.

Abstract: A method for monitoring process parameters in a multiple step process for an article molded from a plastic material containing at least two constituents to determine propensity for adhesion of a subsequently applied coating includes imaging at least one region of the article to examine surface morphology and analyzing the surface morphology to identify one of the constituents. In a preferred embodiment, the method is applied to monitor a manufacturing process for a molded plastic bumper to determine adhesion propensity of a subsequently applied adhesion promoter or paint based on surface morphology of the component. Analysis of the surface morphology includes identifying the presence of rubber globules near the surface layer or skin.