Economics & Strategy – Equity-Linked Strategies: First

J.P. Morgan’s 15-strong squad captained by Marko Kolanovic rises one rung to finish on top for the first time. Despite low market volatility of late, the strategists believe that next month’s U.S. presidential election, further turmoil stemming from the European debt crisis or some other factor “could potentially trigger a sell-off in the market,” Kolanovic says, and an increase in the ­Chicago Board Options Exchange market volatility index. “We foresee slightly more risk on the downside for the market and hence upside for volatility,” the team leader adds. “We are advising clients to add to their hedges, to be biased long volatility.” ­Kolanovic, 37, earned a Ph.D. in theoretical high-­energy ­physics at New York University before joining ­Merrill Lynch in 2003 as a U.S. derivatives analyst. Two years later he moved to Bear, Stearns & Co. as that firm’s global head of derivatives research; ­JPMorgan Chase & Co. acquired Bear Stearns Cos. in 2008.