Group Assignment
Assessment Criteria Marks
Qualitative Risk Analysis
Discussion of portfolio risks, for example
o Market Risk
o Interest Rate Risk
o Credit Risk
o Counterparty Risk
o FX Risk
o Liquidity Risk
Discussion outside of rigid and fixed risk categories, e.g
o Identification of which securities drive which risk factors (e.g.
the bonds and FX drive interest rates exposure)
o Discussion of how risks are time varying (liquidity risk is the
best example)
Total
/2
/1
/3
Quantitative Risk Analysis - Market Risk
Calculation of VaR/ES
o Selection of time period and confidence level - some
discussion required [0.5 marks]
Risk Modelling - up to [5.5 marks] will be awarded for attempts at
quantifying market risk. Example approaches could include:
o Historical simulation approach focusing on portfolio level
cashflows
o Volatility/Covariance updating additions onto historical
simulation approaches
o Variance/Covariance models underpinned by normality
assumptions
o Factor/Regression based approaches that focus on
underlying factors which drive portfolio returns
o A combination of several models which calculate risk at the
security level (e.g. cashflow mapping) AND an appropriate
method aggregating these individual metrics at the portfolio
level
o Marks awarded based on clarity of methodology, marks will
be withheld if errors are uncovered - e.g. calculation errors,
conceptual errors which disclose lack of understanding.
Discussion/ Justification
o [1 Mark] to be awarded for discussion justifying the methods
selected as well as identification of any weaknesses in
methodology
o [1 Mark] to be awarded for any attempts to improve
calculations - e.g. stress testing, EVT.
Total
/6
/1
/1
/8Quantitative Risk Analysis - Other Risks
Focus of this section is primarily credit risk
[2 Marks] to be awarded for the application of any suitable
quantitative approach geared towards calculating default risk.
o Examples could include Merton's model, or credit ratings and
historical default behaviour
[1 Mark] to be awarded for general discussion around methodology
or other risks, etc.
o Examples include: Critical evaluation of models applied
o Discussion of the implications of near zero default rates
Total
/2
/1
/3
Risk Management Recommendations - Portfolio Risk and Stress Testing
[1 mark] to be awarded for general discussion of risk management
strategies targeted at various risk factors. Unless discussion is of
exceptional quality, at least 2 risk factors (e.g. interest rate and FX)
need to be discussed to attain full marks. Further/ more detailed
analysis will attract further marks in the bonus marks section.
[2 marks] will be awarded for the selection of an appropriate
hedging security and backtesting of VaR
[1 mark] is to be awarded for general understanding of why leverage
is important in the portfolio context
[2 marks] to be awarded for appropriate stress testing and scenario
analysis
Total
/1
/2
/1
/2
/6
Discretionary Bonus Marks (or negative adjustments) - For Innovation and
Ingenuity (or mistakes)
Applied to overall assignment after all other marks have been
allocated
Total /20
Additional Notes