Financial markets and the appliance of science

A new study that brings together the disparate fields of physics and finance to provide unique insights into financial markets has been co-authored by a University of Leicester researcher.

Dr Christophe Schinckus, from the School of Business, has collaborated on a new publication that steps beyond disciplinary frontiers to explore the intersection between physics and financial economics. Working with Franck Jovanovic, a Professor in Economics and Finance at the University of Quebec – and formerly of the University of Leicester – they have published a new book by Oxford University Press available from December 2016, Econophysics and Financial Economics, An Emerging Dialogue.

Dr Schinckus said that by mixing conceptual, historical, theoretical and formal arguments, the publication covers the current deaf dialogue between financial economists and econophysicists and offers new profitable perspectives in finance. He added that the study provided the possibility to develop a common framework between econophysicists and financial economists that could lead to a better understanding/description of financial reality.

He said: “By proposing an interdisciplinary way of analysing extreme values on financial market scientists could have a better comprehension of the evolution of financial markets and therefore better study and prevent the financial crises,” he said.

The launch of this book can be seen as a complementary event to the creation of a new network of researchers, Econophysics Network (EN) that was established in October 2016 by the School of Business at the University of Leicester. This network is a topic-based research group designed to create opportunities for exchange between researchers. It aims to facilitate discussion and exchange of ideas on all themes related to econophysics by stimulating debates across disciplinary boundaries.

• Press release
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