How Institutions trade

Darc

Darc

Am I right in Institutions have a number of Departments managing their Portfolios. Firstly, Analysts made up of Economists, Accountants, Finance specialists, Industry experts etc who do the heavy lifting. They then hand off to the Trading department who then do the actual trading - choosing when and how to trade, disguising the accumulating/distributing etc.???

(Why people mock either side is beyond me)
 
Generally, there are three roles in institutional or professional investment entities: portfolio managers, analysts, and traders.
  • Analysts cover specific stocks or securities (e.g. internet industry or g10 fx) and are responsible for idea generation (buy X at Y).
  • Portfolio managers run the general strategy (e.g. long/short equity, global macro, trend following), select trade ideas, and manage risk.
  • Traders execute for the portfolio manager and provide market commentary.
Portfolio manager's make the decision and have the discretion to implement the mandate. Traders and analysts support the PM. In smaller hedge funds or teams, a PM may take on the role of analyst and trader as well.
 
longandshort said:
Generally, there are three roles in institutional or professional investment entities: portfolio managers, analysts, and traders.
  • Analysts cover specific stocks or securities (e.g. internet industry or g10 fx) and are responsible for idea generation (buy X at Y).
  • Portfolio managers run the general strategy (e.g. long/short equity, global macro, trend following), select trade ideas, and manage risk.
  • Traders execute for the portfolio manager and provide market commentary.
Portfolio manager's make the decision and have the discretion to implement the mandate. Traders and analysts support the PM. In smaller hedge funds or teams, a PM may take on the role of analyst and trader as well.
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Thanks LS. I knew you were a former institutional PM or Analyst.
 
It also pays to remember that not all institutions are the same. I've worked at some that are run like the "wild west" and other's that are run like a panopticon. There are always shades of grey.
 
Darc said:
Am I right in Institutions have a number of Departments managing their Portfolios. Firstly, Analysts made up of Economists, Accountants, Finance specialists, Industry experts etc who do the heavy lifting. They then hand off to the Trading department who then do the actual trading - choosing when and how to trade, disguising the accumulating/distributing etc.???

(Why people mock either side is beyond me)
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I see profit centers and cost centers. these guys are cost centers "Analysts made up of Economists, Accountants, Finance specialists, Industry experts". handing off to a trading department who then do the actual trading might be what outsourced trading involves
 
2rosy said:
I see profit centers and cost centers. these guys are cost centers "Analysts made up of Economists, Accountants, Finance specialists, Industry experts". handing off to a trading department who then do the actual trading might be what outsourced trading involves
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It’s gonna really depend on what kind of shop that is. In a long-short equity or a macro shop, analysts and economists are the alpha producers, traders are just execution monkeys.
 
Slow Learning Elf said:
It’s gonna really depend on what kind of shop that is. In a long-short equity or a macro shop, analysts and economists are the alpha producers, traders are just execution monkeys.
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%%
THAT must explain, ''Palm Beach Zoo Overjoyed @ Birth Of Squirrel Monkey ''LOL:D:D
Peter Lynch[Fidelity Magellan] had 3 traders;
sounds like they were skilled. He wrote them a thank you note.[ One Up On Wall Street]
 
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