Reinforcement learning is explored as a candidate machine learning technique to enhance existing analytical solutions for optimal trade execution with elements from the market microstructure. Given a volume-to-trade, fixed time horizon and discrete trading periods, the aim is to adapt a given...

Hierarchical analysis is considered and a multilevel model is presented in order to explore causality, chance and complexity in financial economics. A coupled system of models is used to describe multilevel interactions, consistent with market data: the lowest level is occupied by agents...

We investigate serial correlation, periodic, aperiodic and scaling behaviour of eigenmodes, i.e. daily price fluctuation time-series derived from eigenvectors, of correlation matrices of shares listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from January 1993 to December 2002. Periodic, or...

We apply random matrix theory to compare correlation matrix estimators C obtained from emerging market data. The correlation matrices are constructed from 10 years of daily data for stocks listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from January 1993 to December 2002. We test the spectral...

A technique from stochastic portfolio theory [Fernholz, 1998] is applied to analyse equity returns of Small, Mid and Large cap portfolios in an emerging market through periods of growth and regional crises, up to the onset of the global financial crisis. In particular, we factorize portfolios in...

The benefits of portfolio diversification is a central tenet implicit to modern financial theory and practice. Linked to diversification is the notion of breadth. Breadth is correctly thought of as the number of in- dependent bets available to an investor. Conventionally applications us- ing...

We provide an alternative method for analysis of multifractal properties of time series. The new approach takes into account the behaviour of the whole multifractal profile of the generalized Hurst exponent $h(q)$ for all moment orders $q$, not limited only to the edge values of $h(q)$...

We construct explicitly a bridge process whose distribution, in its own filtration, is the same as the difference of two independent Poisson processes with the same intensity and its time 1 value satisfies a specific constraint. This construction allows us to show the existence of...

The agent-based computational economical model for the emergence of money from the initial barter trading, inspired by Menger's postulate that money can spontaneously emerge in a commodity exchange economy, is extensively studied. The model considered, while manageable, is sufficiently complex,...

Recently the interest of researchers has shifted from the analysis of synchronous relationships of financial instruments to the analysis of more meaningful asynchronous relationships. Both of those analyses are concentrated only on Pearson's correlation coefficient and thus intraday lead-lag...