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{{ | {{def|Alpha|/ˈalfə/|n|}}''Are you sure you’re not looking for our page on '''[[vega]]'''?'' <ref>No offence, [[hedge fund|fellas]]. :-)</ref><br> | ||
[[Alpha]], ''[[α]]'', is one of the {{tag|Greeks}} | [[Alpha]], ''[[α]]'', is one of the {{tag|Greeks}} —the ''first'' of the {{tag|Greeks}} — an expression beloved of unimaginative derivative [[salespeople]] and second-rate {{tag|hedge fund}} managers and hence was much abused in the run up to the [[global financial crisis]] of 2008. Like many financial buzzwords, it is derived from portfolio management theory and does mean something though, through long misuse, that original meaning has largely fallen out of use. Technically, “[[alpha]]” is a measure of market outperformance. It gauges the variance of a portfolio’s performance over the market average, or “[[beta]]”. An [[investment manager]]’s [[alpha]], therefore, is the value that manager adds that you would miss out on if you just invested in the market average. | ||
But when you’re a [[salesperson]], it’s easier than that. [[Alpha]] is just means “really cool”, which is why it’s so popular in new product acronyms: you know, ''Tactically [[Enhanced]] [[Alpha]] Receipts'', or ''[[TEARs]]'', which you can be assured you’ll eventually be in if you fall for a ruse as poor as that. Also, it’s a vowel, and you need vowels to make good acronyms. | |||
But when you’re a [[salesperson]], it’s easier than that. [[Alpha]] is just | |||
===The love-hate relationship between [[Alpha]] and [[Vega]]=== | ===The love-hate relationship between [[Alpha]] and [[Vega]]=== | ||