// Historical Volatility (HV) Indicator
// Close-to-close volatility using standard deviation of log returns
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
namespace QuanTAlib;
///
/// HV: Historical Volatility (Close-to-Close)
/// Calculates volatility as the standard deviation of log returns over a rolling window.
///
///
/// Calculation steps:
///
/// - Calculate log return: r_t = ln(price_t / price_{t-1})
/// - Compute population standard deviation over period
/// - If annualize: volatility × √(annualPeriods)
///
///
/// Key characteristics:
///
/// - Uses only closing prices (simplest volatility measure)
/// - Rolling window standard deviation
/// - Optional annualization (default 252 trading days)
/// - Baseline for comparing other volatility estimators
///
///
/// Sources:
/// Standard financial literature. Close-to-close volatility is the traditional
/// method taught in finance textbooks.
///
[SkipLocalsInit]
public sealed class Hv : AbstractBase
{
private readonly int _period;
private readonly bool _annualize;
private readonly int _annualPeriods;
private readonly double _annualFactor;
private readonly RingBuffer _buffer;
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Auto)]
private record struct State(
double PrevPrice,
double Sum,
double SumSq,
double LastValidReturn,
double LastValue,
int FillCount
);
private State _s;
private State _ps;
///
/// Initializes a new instance of the Hv class.
///
/// The rolling window period (default 20).
/// Whether to annualize the volatility (default true).
/// Number of periods per year (default 252).
///
/// Thrown when period is less than 2, or annualPeriods is less than 1 when annualizing.
///
public Hv(int period = 20, bool annualize = true, int annualPeriods = 252)
{
if (period < 2)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Period must be at least 2", nameof(period));
}
if (annualize && annualPeriods <= 0)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Annual periods must be greater than 0 when annualizing", nameof(annualPeriods));
}
_period = period;
_annualize = annualize;
_annualPeriods = annualPeriods;
_annualFactor = annualize ? Math.Sqrt(annualPeriods) : 1.0;
_buffer = new RingBuffer(period);
WarmupPeriod = period + 1; // Need period+1 prices to get period returns
Name = $"Hv({period})";
_s = new State(double.NaN, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);
_ps = _s;
}
///
/// Initializes a new instance of the Hv class with a source.
///
/// The data source for chaining.
/// The rolling window period (default 20).
/// Whether to annualize the volatility (default true).
/// Number of periods per year (default 252).
public Hv(ITValuePublisher source, int period = 20, bool annualize = true, int annualPeriods = 252)
: this(period, annualize, annualPeriods)
{
source.Pub += Handle;
}
private void Handle(object? sender, in TValueEventArgs e) => Update(e.Value, e.IsNew);
///
/// True if the indicator has enough data for valid results.
///
public override bool IsHot => _s.FillCount >= _period;
///
/// The rolling window period.
///
public int Period => _period;
///
/// Whether volatility is annualized.
///
public bool Annualize => _annualize;
///
/// Number of periods per year for annualization.
///
public int AnnualPeriods => _annualPeriods;
///
/// Updates the indicator with a new price value.
///
/// The input price value.
/// Whether this is a new bar or an update.
/// The calculated volatility value.
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
public override TValue Update(TValue input, bool isNew = true)
{
return UpdateCore(input.Time, input.Value, isNew);
}
///
/// Updates the indicator with a new bar (uses Close price).
///
/// The input bar.
/// Whether this is a new bar or an update.
/// The calculated volatility value.
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
public TValue Update(TBar bar, bool isNew = true)
{
return UpdateCore(bar.Time, bar.Close, isNew);
}
///
/// Updates the indicator with a bar series.
///
/// The source bar series.
/// A TSeries containing the volatility values.
public TSeries Update(TBarSeries source)
{
if (source.Count == 0)
{
return [];
}
int len = source.Count;
var t = new List(len);
var v = new List(len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(t, len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(v, len);
var tSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(t);
var vSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(v);
// Extract close prices
Span closes = len <= 128 ? stackalloc double[len] : new double[len];
for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
{
closes[i] = source[i].Close;
tSpan[i] = source[i].Time;
}
Batch(closes, vSpan, _period, _annualize, _annualPeriods);
// Update internal state
for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
{
Update(new TValue(source[i].Time, source[i].Close), isNew: true);
}
return new TSeries(t, v);
}
public override TSeries Update(TSeries source)
{
int len = source.Count;
var t = new List(len);
var v = new List(len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(t, len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(v, len);
var tSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(t);
var vSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(v);
Batch(source.Values, vSpan, _period, _annualize, _annualPeriods);
source.Times.CopyTo(tSpan);
// Update internal state
for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
{
Update(new TValue(source.Times[i], source.Values[i]), isNew: true);
}
return new TSeries(t, v);
}
[MethodImpl(MethodImplOptions.AggressiveInlining)]
private TValue UpdateCore(long timeTicks, double price, bool isNew)
{
if (isNew)
{
_ps = _s;
_buffer.Snapshot();
}
else
{
_s = _ps;
_buffer.Restore();
}
var s = _s;
// Handle non-finite price
if (!double.IsFinite(price) || price <= 0)
{
// Can't compute return, output last value
Last = new TValue(timeTicks, s.LastValue);
PubEvent(Last, isNew);
return Last;
}
double volatility;
// First price - no return yet
if (double.IsNaN(s.PrevPrice))
{
s = s with { PrevPrice = price };
volatility = 0;
}
else
{
// Calculate log return
double logReturn = Math.Log(price / s.PrevPrice);
if (!double.IsFinite(logReturn))
{
logReturn = s.LastValidReturn;
}
else
{
s = s with { LastValidReturn = logReturn };
}
// Always use Add() after Snapshot/Restore pattern
// When isNew=false, Restore() reverts buffer to pre-Add state,
// so we need Add() (not UpdateNewest) to put the value back
_buffer.Add(logReturn);
// Recalculate sums from buffer - this ensures correctness after corrections
double sum = 0;
double sumSq = 0;
int fillCount = _buffer.Count;
for (int i = 0; i < fillCount; i++)
{
double r = _buffer[i];
sum += r;
sumSq += r * r;
}
// Calculate population variance: E[X²] - E[X]²
if (fillCount > 1)
{
double mean = sum / fillCount;
double variance = (sumSq / fillCount) - (mean * mean);
variance = Math.Max(0.0, variance); // Ensure non-negative
volatility = Math.Sqrt(variance) * _annualFactor;
}
else
{
volatility = 0;
}
s = s with
{
PrevPrice = price,
Sum = sum,
SumSq = sumSq,
FillCount = fillCount
};
}
if (!double.IsFinite(volatility))
{
volatility = s.LastValue;
}
else
{
s = s with { LastValue = volatility };
}
_s = s;
Last = new TValue(timeTicks, volatility);
PubEvent(Last, isNew);
return Last;
}
public override void Prime(ReadOnlySpan source, TimeSpan? step = null)
{
for (int i = 0; i < source.Length; i++)
{
Update(new TValue(DateTime.UtcNow, source[i]), isNew: true);
}
}
public override void Reset()
{
_s = new State(double.NaN, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0);
_ps = _s;
_buffer.Clear();
Last = default;
}
///
/// Calculates Historical Volatility for a price series (static).
///
/// The source price series.
/// The rolling window period.
/// Whether to annualize.
/// Periods per year.
/// A TSeries containing the volatility values.
public static TSeries Batch(TSeries source, int period = 20, bool annualize = true, int annualPeriods = 252)
{
if (period < 2)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Period must be at least 2", nameof(period));
}
if (annualize && annualPeriods <= 0)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Annual periods must be greater than 0 when annualizing", nameof(annualPeriods));
}
int len = source.Count;
var t = new List(len);
var v = new List(len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(t, len);
CollectionsMarshal.SetCount(v, len);
var tSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(t);
var vSpan = CollectionsMarshal.AsSpan(v);
Batch(source.Values, vSpan, period, annualize, annualPeriods);
source.Times.CopyTo(tSpan);
return new TSeries(t, v);
}
///
/// Calculates HV for a bar series (static).
///
public static TSeries Batch(TBarSeries source, int period = 20, bool annualize = true, int annualPeriods = 252)
{
var hv = new Hv(period, annualize, annualPeriods);
return hv.Update(source);
}
///
/// Batch calculation using spans.
///
/// Price values.
/// Output volatility values.
/// The rolling window period.
/// Whether to annualize.
/// Periods per year.
public static void Batch(
ReadOnlySpan prices,
Span output,
int period = 20,
bool annualize = true,
int annualPeriods = 252)
{
if (period < 2)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Period must be at least 2", nameof(period));
}
if (annualize && annualPeriods <= 0)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Annual periods must be greater than 0 when annualizing", nameof(annualPeriods));
}
if (output.Length < prices.Length)
{
throw new ArgumentException("Output span must be at least as long as prices span", nameof(output));
}
int len = prices.Length;
if (len == 0)
{
return;
}
double annualFactor = annualize ? Math.Sqrt(annualPeriods) : 1.0;
// Use a ring buffer for log returns
Span buffer = period <= 256 ? stackalloc double[period] : new double[period];
int head = 0;
int fillCount = 0;
double sum = 0;
double sumSq = 0;
double prevPrice = double.NaN;
double lastValidReturn = 0;
double lastValue = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < len; i++)
{
double price = prices[i];
// First price - no return
if (double.IsNaN(prevPrice))
{
prevPrice = price;
output[i] = 0;
continue;
}
// Handle invalid price
if (!double.IsFinite(price) || price <= 0)
{
output[i] = lastValue;
continue;
}
// Calculate log return
double logReturn = Math.Log(price / prevPrice);
prevPrice = price;
if (!double.IsFinite(logReturn))
{
logReturn = lastValidReturn;
}
else
{
lastValidReturn = logReturn;
}
// Remove oldest if buffer is full
if (fillCount == period)
{
double oldest = buffer[head];
sum -= oldest;
sumSq -= oldest * oldest;
}
else
{
fillCount++;
}
// Add new return
buffer[head] = logReturn;
head = (head + 1) % period;
sum += logReturn;
sumSq += logReturn * logReturn;
// Calculate volatility
double volatility;
if (fillCount > 1)
{
double mean = sum / fillCount;
double variance = (sumSq / fillCount) - (mean * mean);
variance = Math.Max(0.0, variance);
volatility = Math.Sqrt(variance) * annualFactor;
}
else
{
volatility = 0;
}
if (!double.IsFinite(volatility))
{
volatility = lastValue;
}
else
{
lastValue = volatility;
}
output[i] = volatility;
}
}
public static (TSeries Results, Hv Indicator) Calculate(TSeries source, int period = 20, bool annualize = true, int annualPeriods = 252)
{
var indicator = new Hv(period, annualize, annualPeriods);
TSeries results = indicator.Update(source);
return (results, indicator);
}
}