Information Ratio and Tracking Error

mandarin drum and bass, prog drum and bass, pacific reggae afrobeat, grime avant-garde jazz · 3:14

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Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Portfolio managers hunt for alpha every trading day
But measuring their talent takes a smarter way
Information ratio tells the whole story
Excess return divided by tracking error's glory

[Chorus]
IR equals alpha over tracking error's might
Sharpe ratio's cousin shining analytical light
Standard deviation of the difference you see
How much the portfolio strays from benchmark's decree

[Verse 2]
Tracking error measures active risk you take
Standard deviation of returns for alpha's sake
Portfolio minus benchmark, quarter after quarter
Calculate the variance, then find the square root's order

[Chorus]
IR equals alpha over tracking error's might
Sharpe ratio's cousin shining analytical light
Standard deviation of the difference you see
How much the portfolio strays from benchmark's decree

[Bridge]
Higher ratios signal skill that's truly rare
Point five is decent, one point zero's beyond compare
Consistency matters more than lucky streaks
Tracking error shows if manager's technique is weak

[Verse 3]
Low tracking error means you hug the index tight
High tracking error swings from benchmark's sight
Information ratio separates the wheat from chaff
Skill-based alpha from a random photograph

[Chorus]
IR equals alpha over tracking error's might
Sharpe ratio's cousin shining analytical light
Standard deviation of the difference you see
How much the portfolio strays from benchmark's decree

[Outro]
Active management's crystal ball revealed at last
Tracking error and IR separate future from past

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