By Mark Ambrogi
Andrew Thrasher has earned a rare honor in his field.
The Noblesville resident, a chartered market technician and portfolio manager at Financial Enhancement Group, LLC in Fishers, was named the 2017 recipient of the Charles H. Dow Award for his research paper on “Forecasting a Volatility Tsunami.” The award is presented annually by the Market Technicians Association
“Each year they evaluate different aspects of financial research to determine if any are to their standards to receive this award,” Thrasher said. “Some years they don’t give it to anyone at all if nothing meets their standards.”
Thrasher will be presented with the award and a cash prize of $5,000 during the MTA Global Investment Conference, April 6-7, in New York City.
Thrasher’s research paper provides a unique view on market volatility, providing a method for evaluating time periods that precede large swings in the Volatility Index and U.S. equity markets.
“Marketing volatility is a way to measure fear within the market,” Thrasher said. “So, when the equities are going higher, volatility is going lower and there is less fear of prices going down. I believe the way a lot of commentators and a lot of investment professionals evaluate volatility is wrong. They believe that just because volatility is low that means it can go much higher. I think that’s a poor method of evaluation. So what I argue is an alternative method of evaluating volatility.”
At age 30, Thrasher is one of the younger recipients of the award.
“Most of the people that have won are further along in their careers,” Thrasher said.
The Dow Award, which was established in 1994, recognizes outstanding research in technical analysis conducted by financial industry practitioners and academics. Entries are evaluated based on the submitted paper’s ability to enhance the understanding of market action, the concepts of technical analysis and the comprehensive research presented.
Thrasher graduated from Purdue University in 2009 with a bachelor’s of science degree in financial counseling and planning. His wife, Abigail, is a Purdue graduate.
