The purpose of this project is for you to learn how finance practitioners apply financial knowledge and theory in practice, with a focus on hedge funds, risk management, and derivatives. The project involves listening to podcasts interviewing seasoned investment and finance practitioners who are involved in various areas of finance and investment. The long-running Dean Curnutt’s “Alpha Exchange” podcast brings together a multitude of philosophies, views, and opinions on risk management, investment, and derivatives strategies

Requirements:

Open the “Alpha Exchange” website

Note that there are multiple years going back to 2018 (about 100 podcasts or episodes). Your assignment will be to select and listen to 4 (four) podcasts and write about topics and questions raised in the podcasts. You can pick any 4 podcasts from any year. You must answer the following questions for each of your 4 podcasts:

1. Who were the podcast guest(s)?

a. What do they do? Where are they employed?

b. What is their area of expertise or specialty?

2. What have you learned?

a. What is the topic of the podcast?

b. What did you like the most about the podcast?

c. What did you like the least about the podcast, if anything?

d. How does the investment strategy (or strategies) described in the podcast makes money for investors or protect them against risk? Be specific and provide examples.

e. What are the risks associated with investment strategies described in the podcasts? Be specific and provide examples.

f. Do you think this strategy (or strategies) will work for you personally? Discuss the pros and cons.

g. Share any other thoughts you may have about the podcast’s impact on your knowledge.

Additional directions:

The answers I look for should clearly describe the issues. It is up to you to use mathematical models or numeric illustrations to supplement your written description.