Pair Trading Question

Discussion in 'Trading' started by FreakofNature, Apr 12, 2012.

  1. Is pair trading a fairly effective way to be in the market without much worries of major upside or major corrections?

    For instance

    Long AAPL

    Short DELL

    If the market collapses, DELL will probably drop more and AAPL less.

    Trying to learn this, so any suggested reading on benefits risks, basically want to learn the ropes.

    Another idea, it's quite obvious AMZN is stealing business from retailers like BBY, so why not, long AMZN short BBY.

    Thanks for guidance.
     
  2. do DELL & AAPL have some Historical Correlation?

    not to mention a Huge Price difference...yikes

    marc
     
  3. Arnie

    Arnie

  4. Talking mostly from a fundamental point of view, in that regard, they do.

    Now the price difference, I dont understand what you mean, shouldn't the number of shares balance that differential ?
     
  5. Excellent, just what I needed, thank you.
     
  6. You don't have to trade 'em 1 for 1 :)
     
  7. I forget, but I think the professional pair traders
    want to keep the prices within 5-10% or so of each other.

    You could ask Don Bright; he's always helpful.
    That's one of their strategies.

    If you have a big move in Dell [in the wrong direction],
    you could be in trouble.
    You would have about 38.5 x as many shares of Dell !

    marc
     
  8.  
  9. true

    Is that pair trading, or a hybrid of some sort?

    marc
     
  10. It's the only pairs trading I know :cool:

    edit: To be explicit, there are a lot of ways to do this. Cash neutral is one, volatility neutral is another. Depends on what you think you can forecast - correlation, relative volatility etc.
     
    #10     Apr 12, 2012