As the Fed has been gradually normalizing monetary policy over the last few years,
the correlation across asset classes has been in decline.
For example, the momentum portfolios exhibit positive
correlation across asset classes, suggesting that strategies focused on momentum alone (a path followed by many managed futures funds) forgo the opportunity to significantly improve results through allocating to complementary strategies.
Correlations across asset classes have also been increasing.
Depressed volatility is also covering up falling
correlations across asset classes.
Not exact matches
The growing interdependence can be seen in the increased
correlation of market movements both
across countries and
across asset classes.
Our Multi-
Asset Concentration index — a measure of
correlations across 14 global
asset classes — is hovering well below its post-crisis average, according to our Risk and Quantitative Analysis group.
The reason stocks are moving in lock - step with bonds right now is that low volatility
across asset classes led to a huge uptick in «
correlation.»
However the current environment is the first period over the last 20 years marked by the simultaneous occurrence of high
correlation and low return dispersion
across managers,
asset classes, and sectors.