Candlewick

Educational research ยท Evidence concept

Portfolio risk

A practical guide to volatility, drawdown, concentration, and exposure as different descriptions of portfolio uncertainty.

How to read it

Risk is not one number. Volatility describes dispersion, drawdown describes a peak-to-trough loss path, and concentration describes dependence on a small number of holdings or drivers.

Why it matters

Separating these lenses prevents a smooth historical return series from hiding a concentrated exposure or a long recovery requirement.

Evidence boundary

Risk measures depend on the window, frequency, benchmark, and data quality. They describe observed or modelled behaviour; they do not predict the next loss or define personal risk capacity.

These pages explain historical and diagnostic evidence. They are not forecasts, guarantees, or personal financial advice.