The efficiency of stock portfolios hedged by index options quoted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the years 2007-2015

Abstract

In the article quantitative research was conducted on data from the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) for the years 2007-2015. The research focused on an assessment of the success of using derivatives in the context of increasing rates of return and lowering risk. The aim of the article is to check the efficiency of portfolios hedged by index options quoted on the WSE. The time frame was divided into 3 independent periods in order to show the difference in the level of portfolios’ efficiency during the bearish trend on the market. In the research quantitative methods have been used, among them comparative analysis and regression analysis to calculate the beta coefficient. The efficiency of hedged portfolios and indices has been measured with the use of the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, Jensen’s alpha, Information ratio and Sortino ratio. The hypothesis is formulated that hedged portfolios are more efficient than unhedged ones (stock indexes). The research proved that in the periods given hedged portfolios had by far more favourable level of efficiency measures, so they were more efficient. Their profit to risk ratio was better when index options were included in portfolios.