Statistical Independence

Concept

Statistical independence describes a condition where the occurrence of one event or the value of one variable does not influence the probability or value of another. In financial markets, assets are rarely perfectly independent; however, the assumption of independence often simplifies models. Deviations from this assumption, particularly during market stress, can have significant implications for portfolio diversification and risk management. Understanding this concept is fundamental for probabilistic modeling. It is a cornerstone of quantitative analysis.