Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
Context: The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ajinomoto-co-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8911:1" rel="noopener">Ajinomoto (2802 JP)</a> vs. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/j-front-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8947:1" rel="noopener">J Front Retailing (3086 JP)</a> price ratio has deviated more than two standard deviations from its one-year average, presenting a potential relative value opportunity.</li>
<li>
 Highlight: Going long <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/j-front-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8947:1" rel="noopener">J Front Retailing (3086 JP)</a> and short <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ajinomoto-co-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8911:1" rel="noopener">Ajinomoto (2802 JP)</a>  targets a 9% return.</li>
<li>
Why Read: Essential for quantitative traders seeking mean-reversion opportunities, with detailed execution framework, risk management protocols, and historical simulation showing the statistical basis for this relative value play.</li>
</ul>



Context: The Ajinomoto (2802 JP) vs. J Front Retailing (3086 JP) price ratio has deviated more than two standard deviations from its one-year average, presenting a potential relative value opportunity.

 Highlight: Going long J Front Retailing (3086 JP) and short Ajinomoto (2802 JP)  targets a 9% return.

Why Read: Essential for quantitative traders seeking mean-reversion opportunities, with detailed execution framework, risk management protocols, and historical simulation showing the statistical basis for this relative value play.


J Front (3086 JP) Vs Ajinomoto (2802 JP): Two-Sigma Reversal Triggers Pair Trade Flip

<ul>
<li>
Context: Asian indices traded in a narrow band despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, creating a sideways market backdrop rather than a broad directional move.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Eight statistically generated pair-trade signals were triggered last week, with five on Thursday alone, spanning Global Indices, Australia, Japan and India.</li>
<li>
Why Read: This recap highlights market-neutral opportunities where single-stock or cross-market dislocations may offer attractive starting points for further relative-value analysis.</li>
</ul>



Context: Asian indices traded in a narrow band despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, creating a sideways market backdrop rather than a broad directional move.

Highlights: Eight statistically generated pair-trade signals were triggered last week, with five on Thursday alone, spanning Global Indices, Australia, Japan and India.

Why Read: This recap highlights market-neutral opportunities where single-stock or cross-market dislocations may offer attractive starting points for further relative-value analysis.


Market-Neutral Trade Signals Amid Macro Uncertainty

<ul>
<li>
Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Currently eleven pair trade opportunities persist across four markets and seven sectors.</li>
<li>
Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.</li>
</ul>



Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.

Highlights: Currently eleven pair trade opportunities persist across four markets and seven sectors.

Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.


Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (27 Apr 2026)

Fintech, Real-time Big-Data Analytics Provider, Nowcast, Inc.

Ryota Hayashi

Fintech, Real-time Big-Data Analytics Provider

Nowcast, Inc.

We at Nowcast develop "Big-Data Economic Analytics Platforms".  We aim to revolutionize the financial markets by providing "accurate" and "real-time" analytics based on economic indicators and corporate activity data procured worldwide. 

Our Main Services

(1) Real-time Analytics
With our Nikkei CPI Now Index at our core, we provide real time analytics of global economic indicators such as POS Data. By utilizing Big-Data technology, we also provide real-time analytics of micro level data such as corporate earnings. 

(2) Big-Data Application Consulting
We too provide business consultation and conduct joint research on initiatives that strive to use data, such as from the operation capacity of construction machinery to number of passengers on railroad trains, as economic indicators. We provide continuous support to Data Scientists specialized in economics in their proposal stage, product development and up till its business development. 

(3) Monetary Policy Insights
With the proactive involvement of and support from from academicians in macroeconomics & key figures in the financial industry, we produce reports, conduct seminars and meetings that discuss about the forecast of financial markets, provide intellectual suggestions on asset allocation, etc. 

Macroeconomics

<ul><li>March: The growth rate of new core core CPI for March will stay almost the same.</li><li>The Nikkei CPINow T index (for February 2017) maintained at 0.0%.</li><li>The Nikkei CPINow S index (for March 2017) increased by 0.59%.</li><li>This March 2017 Review is a part of the monthly report series which looks into analyzing the current developments in Japan's economy based on The Nikkei CPINow S index &amp; T index.</li></ul>

March: The growth rate of new core core CPI for March will stay almost the same.The Nikkei CPINow T index (for February 2017) maintained at 0.0%.The Nikkei CPINow S index (for March 2017) increased by 0.59%.This March 2017 Review is a part of the monthly report series which looks into analyzing the current developments in Japan's economy based on The Nikkei CPINow S index &amp; T index.

March 2017 Review of Current Development in Japan's Economy

Doing bespoke work since 2002....., Custom Products Group

Patrick Hansen

Doing bespoke work since 2002.....

Custom Products Group

Custom Products was started 14 years ago at Lehman Brothers by current co-founder Patrick Hansen, CFA. After 3 years at Lehman, Patrick moved the team to Macquarie Securities where Simon Rigney (co-founder) joined. 3 years ago we took Custom Products independent. 

Our core strength can be summed up three words. 1- Customization - we have very little off the shelf products and most work is done on a one on one bespoke basis. 2- Speed - We pride ourselves in our ability to get requests back to the client very quickly. 3- Confidentiality - We do not redistribute. There is no grace period where we wait a week and then mass blast. Any request stops with that client.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

With TOPIX up approx. 30% since the end of June last year, we wanted to update the Hated by the Street screen and focus on names that missed the rally. We screened for names that <ol>
<li>% of BUY Recommendations to Total is less than 30%. </li>
<li>Have underperformed TOPIX by more than 10% since last June.</li>
<li>PBR relative to the sector median PBR is less than 0.8.</li>
</ol><h2>Screen Results</h2><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/022/936/original/1.png?1490134662" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="22936"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Custom Products</div>If we look at the worst performers relative to TOPIX, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/19147" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19147:1">Sawai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (4555 JP)</a> tops the list, down 42%…

With TOPIX up approx. 30% since the end of June last year, we wanted to update the Hated by the Street screen and focus on names that missed the rally. We screened for names that 
% of BUY Recommendations to Total is less than 30%. 
Have underperformed TOPIX by more than 10% since last June.
PBR relative to the sector median PBR is less than 0.8.
Screen ResultsSource: Custom ProductsIf we look at the worst performers relative to TOPIX, Sawai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (4555 JP) tops the list, down 42%…

Hated Names that Missed the Rally in Japan.....

Japan

Maxis Nikkei 225 Index Fund is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The Fund will seek daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that track the performance of the Nikkei 225 Index.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Maxis Nikkei 225 Index Fund (NKY US)

J Front (3086 JP) Vs Ajinomoto (2802 JP): Two-Sigma Reversal Triggers Pair Trade Flip

9% target return as the pair reverses from the lower to the upper two-standard-deviation band, triggering a switch in positioning following a...

Gaudenz Schneider

Market-Neutral Trade Signals Amid Macro Uncertainty

Asian indices traded sideways amid geopolitical uncertainty, triggering eight pair-trade signals last week, offering market-neutral opportunities.

Gaudenz Schneider

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (27 Apr 2026)

Discover eleven pair trade opportunities across four markets and seven sectors using statistical mean-reversion methodology for actionable insights.

Gaudenz Schneider

March 2017 Review of Current Development in Japan's Economy

March: The growth rate of new core core CPI for March will stay almost the same. The Nikkei CPINow T index (for February 2017) maintained at...

Nowcast, Inc.

Hated Names that Missed the Rally in Japan.....

With TOPIX up approx. 30% since the end of June last year, we wanted to update the Hated by the Street screen and focus on names that missed the...

Custom Products Group

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

J Front (3086 JP) Vs Ajinomoto (2802 JP): Two-Sigma Reversal Triggers Pair Trade Flip

9% target return as the pair reverses from the lower to the upper two-standard-deviation band, triggering a switch in positioning following a...

Gaudenz Schneider

Market-Neutral Trade Signals Amid Macro Uncertainty

​Asian indices traded sideways amid geopolitical uncertainty, triggering eight pair-trade signals last week, offering market-neutral opportunities.

Gaudenz Schneider

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (27 Apr 2026)

​Discover eleven pair trade opportunities across four markets and seven sectors using statistical mean-reversion methodology for actionable insights.

Gaudenz Schneider

March 2017 Review of Current Development in Japan's Economy

March: The growth rate of new core core CPI for March will stay almost the same. The Nikkei CPINow T index (for February 2017) maintained at...

Nowcast, Inc.

Hated Names that Missed the Rally in Japan.....

With TOPIX up approx. 30% since the end of June last year, we wanted to update the Hated by the Street screen and focus on names that missed the...

Custom Products Group

Asian indices traded sideways amid geopolitical uncertainty, triggering eight pair-trade signals last week, offering market-neutral opportunities.

Discover eleven pair trade opportunities across four markets and seven sectors using statistical mean-reversion methodology for actionable insights.