Bayesian Methods in Asset Management

The Bayesian statistical method is one of the two major forms of statistical analysis. This approach allows decision makers who have a prior assessment of the probability of some random event occurring to systematically update that probability as more information becomes available. The approach is also used in financial modeling to update the parameters of a model as new data become available. This article reviews the Bayesian methods, discusses the implications for asset management, and describes the limitations of this approach to statistical analysis.