In this episode, we are joined by Rishabh Nahar, a quant fund manager, for a deep and practical conversation on investing, quant strategies, and how data-driven decision making can outperform traditional stock picking. The discussion begins with breaking down what quant investing really means, how it differs from algo trading, and why stock picking may be overrated for most investors.
We then explore how quant models are actually built — starting from clear objectives, using financial parameters like ROCE and valuations, and constructing portfolios in a systematic, rule-based way. The conversation also covers the limitations of popular strategies like Coffee Can Investing, why backtesting can be misleading, and how market cycles and money printing have influenced returns in recent years.
Rishabh also shares practical insights on portfolio construction, including allocation across large caps, small caps, gold, and multi-asset strategies. We discuss why timing the market still matters, why sitting on cash can be risky, and how valuation-based allocation can help navigate different market phases.
Towards the end, the episode goes deeper into real-world investing challenges — how to evaluate fund managers, why process matters more than returns, and how retail investors can build simple quant strategies on their own. The conversation also highlights key principles like portfolio churning, risk management, and focusing on earnings growth rather than just price movements, making this episode highly actionable for anyone looking to invest smarter.
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