Re: Portfolio Optimization
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg119418] Re: Portfolio Optimization
- From: DrMajorBob <btreat1 at austin.rr.com>
- Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 19:10:32 -0400 (EDT)
Mathematica was correct, when it said "{{0.00408844}} is not a number". It isn't. Here's Excel's low function value, without negative weights: covariants = {{0.000572843, 0.000223023, 0.000109176}, {0.000223023, 0.000387437, 0.0000987402}, {0.000109176, 0.0000987402, 0.007320276}}; (*Asset Weights Vector*) weights = {w1, w2, w3}; NMinimize[{weights.covariants.weights, Total@weights == 1}, weights] {0.000327596, {w1 -> 0.309102, w2 -> 0.659653, w3 -> 0.0312441}} or NMinimize[{weights.covariants.weights, Total@weights == 1, Thread[weights >= 0]}, weights] {0.000327596, {w1 -> 0.309102, w2 -> 0.659653, w3 -> 0.0312441}} or Minimize[{weights.covariants.weights, Total@weights == 1, Thread[weights >= 0]}, weights] {0.000327596, {w1 -> 0.309102, w2 -> 0.659653, w3 -> 0.0312441}} weights.(covariants.weights) - (weights.covariants).weights 0 Bobby On Thu, 02 Jun 2011 06:17:22 -0500, Priyan Fernando <priyan.fernando at gmail.com> wrote: > Hi! > > I am trying to run a portfolio optimizer in Mathematica. That is, > minimising > the variance of a portfolio of assets. > > (* Variance Covariance Matrix *) > Covariants = {{0.000572843, 0.000223023, 0.000109176}, {0.000223023, > 0.000387437, 0.0000987402}, {0.000109176, 0.0000987402, > 0.007320276}} > > (* Asset Weights Vector*) > weights = Transpose[{{w1}, {w2}, {w3}}] > > (* Optimize Portfolio Variance*) > NMinimize[{weights.Covariants.Transpose[weights], > w1 + w2 + w3 == 1}, {w1, w2, w3}] > > The output Mathematica throws is as follows: > *NMinimize::nnum: "The function value {{0.00408844}} is not a number at > {w1,w2,w3} = {-0.63531,0.918621,0.716689}. "* > > However if I program the same optimization in Excel (using Solver to find > optimal weights) I see the weights should be {0.309102831, 0.659653054, > 0.031244115} as this gives a lower portoflio variance of 0.0003276. > > Does anyone know why Mathematica is giving me the wrong answer? And, why > is > it saying the funcion value is not a number? > > Thanks for your all your comments, > Priyan. > > -- DrMajorBob at yahoo.com