Chapter II: Understanding Price Volatility behaviour is essential to assessing the risk associated with positions across different time spans. |
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This chart shows Volatility for Fluor Corporation (NEW), defined to be the price range as a portion of the average price: So, to derive the Daily Volatility on 3/11/2010 of 2%, the price range for the day (0.94) was divided by the average price (45.42). Daily Volatility (the daily range as a portion of the daily average price) is plotted in green. Blue is Weekly Volatility, which is the weekly range as a portion of the weekly average price. This is a different concept from the weekly average of daily volatility. The red plot shows the actual price. Volatility, as measured through various intervals, ( Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly) is plotted according to color. Investors often make a distinction between the concept of Volatility, and the concept of Risk. Academics define them to be exactly equivalent, but as can be seen here, there is good reason to distinguish between the levels of volatility or risk experienced across different time frames. During 10 years, the Average Quarterly Volatility of FLR stock price has been 30% while the Average Daily Volatility has been 4%. |
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If you have ever seen a "yield curve" you should be able to understand the concept behind this "yield curve". Each Volatility Curve is a snapshot in time. From left to right, each position plots the Volatility associated with increasing intervals of time. The relationship between the length of time, and the expected change in price, is not linear, as is demonstrated by this chart. |
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This histogram is a frequency distribution of Daily Volatility, corresponding to the green points on the first chart on this page. |
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Similarly, the purple points on the top chart, the Quarterly Volatility Values, are subjected to frequency distribution here. |
Refined Volatility Risk Analysis for FLR : |
| In the news, Friday, March 12, 2010: An unfavorable condition has developed with Convergys Corporation, ticker symbol CVG. Also, there are breaking events concerning ConAgra Foods, Inc. (CAG) and Pre-Paid Legal (PPD) |