• Idiosyncratic risk refers to inherent factors that can adversely affect an individual security or a very specific group of assets.

  • It is also known as specific or non-systematic risk.
  • Certain securities will naturally carry more idiosyncratic risk than others.
  • Idiosyncratic risk can usually be reduced in an investment portfolio through diversification.
  • The opposite of idiosyncratic risk is systematic risk, which refers to broader trends affecting the overall financial system or a very broad market.