Trading Description:
The CARBON NEUTRAL ALPHA ("CNA") PROGRAM is an absolute return program. It develops a risk-adjusted portfolio of the most liquid futures and spreads of the Compliance Carbon Allowances (EUAs and UKAs) contracts and Voluntary Carbon offsets, it seeks to perform in different market environments and economic cycles.
The program is discretionary, employing a Quantamental Investment Process that combines in-depth fundamental analysis with quantitative modeling and techniques..
Carbon Markets are a unique asset class with strong bias and inefficiencies due to the market's regulatory policies, hedging pressure, weather, and supply/demand fundamentals, future rolls, and seasonal patterns, these patterns can be fundamentally and mathematically analyzed and exploited.
The program trades Compliance Carbon Markets including EUAs, UKAs but also Voluntary Offset Futures such as GEO and NGEO.
Risk Strategy:
Robust risk management is a crucial element in generating returns, and it is at the core of this program. Risk is actively managed through strict risk budget limits for portfolio and individual positions drawdown limits. The Advisor also performs 95% and 99% VaR, Conditional VaR, and Marginal VaR tests to monitor the portfolio exposure as well as market stress tests.
Risk is monitored on a continuous, real-time basis through electronic platforms and internal risk management systems.
Parametric, Monte-Carlo, Historical Value at Risk (VaR), Conditional Var, Marginal and Incremental VaR models with a 95% and 99% confidence level are used to measure the market risk exposure of the portfolio.
Stress test analyses are running for individual positions as well as the entire portfolio.
Background:
Sigma Advanced Capital Management is a Chicago-based Commodity Trading Advisor registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a Member of the National Futures Association (NFA).
Sigma Advanced specializes in commodity and carbon/emission markets, seeking absolute returns across all economic cycles and market environments. It also seeks a positive climate and social impact by supporting projects aligned with Global Sustainability Development.
. The company follows a Quant-Mental Investment Process combining quantitative techniques such as statistical modeling, machine learning, natural language processing with Discretionary, and Fundamental analysis.
Sigma Advanced Capital Management currently managed two programs:
The Global Advanced Futures and Spread Program (GAFS) - (QEP only): An absolute return program focusing on a risk-adjusted balanced portfolio of commodity calendar spreads, relative value strategies, and outright futures.
Carbon Alpha Neutral Program (CNA) - (QEP Only): An absolute return program focusing 100% on sustainable finance instruments including carbon emission allowances and offsets futures.
Investment Strategy: The manager deploys a Quant-mental Investment Process combining quantitative techniques like statistical modeling, machine learning, and natural language processing (NLP) with discretionary and fundamental analysis.
Climate Impact:
Sigma Advanced Capital Management LLC believes that responsible businesses need to be thoughtful, aware, and willing to act. The Carbon Neutral Alpha program seeks to have an environmental and social impact by supporting initiatives using a percentage of management and performance fees to support REDD+ and projects aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Portfolio Manager:
Carlos Arcila Barrera, CFA, CAIA, SCR has extensive experience in derivatives trading and risk modeling across a wide range of commodity and carbon emission markets, specializing in futures and spread strategies. He is the Adjunct Professor of Finance at Universidad de Los Andes and Research Associate for The Center of Sustainable Finance at the University.​​
During his career, he worked as an Energy Risk Associate for Optima Consultores S.A.S., setting up and managing the electricity risk program, developing hedging and trading strategies in electricity futures for Latin American companies. He was an investment analyst for the Universidad de Los Andes Endowment and worked for a prominent Hedge Fund in Chicago from 2014-2016.
Carlos founded Sigma Advanced Capital Management in 2016 leveraging his experience and in-depth knowledge of commodity markets, with a focus on calendar spreads and relative value strategies. In addition to Sigma Advanced, he was the director of the Financial Markets Research Center, now known as the Center of Sustainable Finance, at the Universidad de Los Andes from 2017 to 2019, where he conducted research on derivative markets, sustainable finance, and carbon markets. Throughout his academic and professional career, he developed several quantitative models to examine variables influencing commodity spreads and carbon price behavior. In June 2020, Mr. Arcila founded the Carbon Neutral Alpha Program, inspired by his work and research on sustainable finance and carbon markets.
Carlos holds a Master of Science in Finance (Magna cum Laude) from the University of Notre Dame in the United States, as well as the certifications, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Analyst in Alternative Investment (CAIA), and GARP Sustainability and Climate Change Risk (SCR), a certification focused on financial risks associated with climate change. Carlos is also a candidate for the Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership at The University of Cambridge. He holds a Business Administration degree from Universidad de Los Andes, with minors in Government and Chinese.
Accounting Notes:
Set forth in the following performance capsules are the results of the accounts traded in commodity interests by the Advisor on a discretionary basis. This performance takes into consideration any and all commission, management, and incentive fees of the program being offered herein.
The returns from June 2020 moving forward have been proforma adjusted to reflect a 1.75% annual management fee and 20% quarterly incentive fee structure.
Please note the AUM represents the firm's Assets under Management.
Sigma Advanced Capital Management has contracted a third party to calculate performance. The historical returns presented represent the performance as calculated by Sudrania LLC.
PAST RESULTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS AND NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE THAT MANAGED ACCOUNTS IN THE FUTURE WILL ACHIEVE PROFITS SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN.