Innovations in volatility constitute a potentially important asset pricing risk factor that can be tested using the return on variance swaps. We characterize the exposures of returns on equities, bonds and currencies in all regions of the world to U.S. based equity variance risk. We explore...

Introduction -- Volatility and its estimation -- Overview of volatility derivatives -- Options delta hedging with no options at all -- Volatility derivatives in portfolio optimization -- Benefits of using volatility futures in investment strategies -- Predictive properties of the volatility term...