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Taking absolute values of signed risk contributions

Replacing negative contributions with their magnitudes changes the risk quantity being reported.

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Use the opposed original pair

Weights 40/60, standard deviations 20%/10% and correlation −1 give total volatility 2%. Weighted Euler components are +8 and −6 percentage points. Both asset capital weights remain positive.

Compare signed and absolute sums

Two different summaries
CalculationResultMeaning
8 + (−6)2 percentage pointsSigned volatility decomposition
|8| + |−6|14 percentage pointsSum of component magnitudes
8 / 2 and −6 / 2400% and −300%Signed shares of total volatility

Choose a display that keeps signs

A positive-only pie cannot represent the negative component. Use a signed table or bar display and label the component unit. If a separate magnitude metric is useful, define it separately rather than renaming it total volatility.

Check the denominator before shares

At exact cancellation total volatility is zero and these volatility share ratios are undefined. A zero total does not justify creating arbitrary positive shares to fill a chart.

Further references