A self-exciting threshold jump–diffusion model for option valuation

A self-exciting threshold jump–diffusion model for option valuation is studied. This model can incorporate regime switches without introducing an exogenous stochastic factor process. A generalized version of the Esscher transform is used to select a pricing kernel. The valuation of both the European and American contingent claims is considered. A piecewise linear partial-differential–integral equation governing a price of a standard European contingent claim is derived. For an American contingent claim, a formula decomposing a price of the American claim into the sum of its European counterpart and the early exercise premium is provided. An approximate solution to the early exercise premium based on the quadratic approximation technique is derived for a particular case where the jump component is absent. Numerical results for both European and American options are presented for the case without jumps.     

On valuing and hedging European options when volatility is estimated directly

We quantify the effects on contingent claim valuation of using an estimator for the unknown volatility σ of a geometric Brownian motion (GBM) process. The theme of the paper is to show what difficulties can arise when failing to account for estimation risk. Our narrative uses a direct estimator of volatility based on the sample standard deviation of increments of the underlying Brownian motion. After replacing the direct estimator into the GBM, we derive the resulting distribution function of the approximated GBM for any time point. This allows us to present post-estimation distributions and valuation formulae for an assortment of European contingent claims that are in accord with many of the basic properties of the underlying risk-neutral process, and yet better reflect the additional uncertainties and risks that exist in the Black-Scholes-Merton paradigm.     

随机利率情形下跳-扩散模型的未定权益定价

讨论Vasicek短期利率模型下,风险资产的价格过程服从跳-扩散过程的欧式未定权益定价问题,利用鞅方法得到了欧式看涨期权和看跌期权定价公式及平价关系,最后给出了基于风险资产支付连续红利收益的欧式期权定价公式.     

Pricing and hedging of American contingent claims in incomplete markets

0.IntroductionandSummaryThecelebratedpapersof[2]and[3],pavedthewayforpricingoptionsonstocks,onthebasisofthefollowingprinciple:inacompletemarket(suchastheoneinSection1.5),everycontingentclaimcanbeattainedexactlybyinvestinginthemarketandstartingwithala...     

随机限制市场中的最优溢价

本文讨论不定权益在一簇辅助市场中的上确界的到达性 ,该问题与限制市场中不定权益的对冲问题密切相关     

最小方差准则下一个未定权益的近似对冲

本文研究了不完备的离散时间股票市场下未定权益的定价的对冲问题.利用在最小方差准则下选择概率测度Q或权重函数LN来求最优投资组合的方法,给出了离散时间情况下的鞅表示定理,在最小方差准则下提供一个简单的方法来近似对冲一个未定权益或一个欧氏期权.     

Valuing flexibility: an impulse control framework

This paper presents a general framework for modeling and evaluating investments which involve flexibility to switch between alternative states of operation (for example, different sets of production inputs and outputs). The model employs a contingent claims pricing approach and encompasses previous real option models as special cases. We discuss practical solution techniques for the valuation problem under different assumptions regarding the cost and frequency of switching.     

Bid and ask prices as non-linear continuous time G-expectations based on distortions

Probability distortions for constructing nonlinear G-expectations for the bid and ask or lower and upper prices in continuous time are here extended to the direct use of measure distortions. Fairly generally measure distortions can be constructed as probability distortions applied to an exponential distribution function on the half line. The valuation methodologies are extended beyond contract valuation to the valuation of economic activities with infinite lives. Explicit computations illustrate the procedures for stock indices and insurance loss processes.     

利率风险与或有权益定价

应用无差异方法研究不完全市场中或有权益的保值和定价问题,并证明了或有权益的价格不仅依赖于或有权益的不可复制部分,而且受利率风险的影响．在最优保值意义下利率风险分解为可控风险和不可控风险．利率的可控风险与资本市场波动有关,可通过套期保值方法避免,可能产生正、零或负的期望收益．利率的不可控风险与资本市场波动无关,无法对冲,而且带来正的期望收益．利率风险的分解有助于更准确地解释或有权益的价格-它受利率的不可控风险影响,而与可控风险无关．当利率的不可控收益与或有权益的不可复制部分正(负)相关时,或有权益的不可复制部分的风险越大导致或有权益的价格越高(低)．     

Time Charters with Purchase Options in Shipping: Valuation and Risk Management

Abstract

The article studies the valuation and optimal management of Time Charters with Purchase Options (T/C–POPs), which is a specific type of asset lease with embedded options that is common in shipping markets. T/C–POPs are economically significant and sometimes account for more than half of the stock market value of listed shipping companies.

The main source of risk in markets for maritime transportation is the freight rate, and we therefore specify a single-factor continuous time model for the dynamic evolution of freight rates that allows us to price a wide variety of freight rate-related derivatives including various forms of T/C–POPs using contingent claims valuation techniques. Our model allows for the derivation of closed valuation formulas for some simple freight rate derivatives, whereas the more complex ones are analysed using numerical (finite difference) procedures. We accompany our theoretical results with illustrative numerical examples as we proceed.     

An analytic valuation method for multivariate contingent claims with regime-switching volatilities

In this paper, we provide an analytic valuation method for European-type contingent claims written on multiple assets in a stochastic market environment. We employ a two-state Markov regime-switching volatility in order to reflect stochastically changing market conditions. The method is developed by exploiting the probability density of the occupation time for which the underlying asset processes are in a certain regime during a time period. In order to show its usefulness, we derive analytic valuation formulas for quanto options and exchange options with two underlying assets, as examples.     

Uncertain volatility and the risk-free synthesis of derivatives

To price contingent claims in a multidimensional frictionless security market it is sufficient that the volatility of the security process is a known function of price and time. In this note we introduce optimal and risk-free strategies for intermediaries in such markets to meet their obligations when the volatility is unknown, and is only assumed to lie in some convex region depending on the prices of the underlying securities and time. Our approach is underpinned by the theory of totally non-linear parabolic partial differential equations (Krylov and Safanov, 1979; Wang, 1992) and the non-stochastic approach to Itô's formation first introduced by Föllmer (1981a,b).

In these more general conditions of unknown volatility, the optimal risk-free trading strategy will, necessarily, produce an unpredictable surplus over the minimum assets required at any time to meet the liabilities. This surplus, which could be released to the intermediary or to the client, is not required to meet the contingent claim. One sees that the effect of unknown volatility is the creation of a ‘with profits’ policy, where a premium is paid at the beginning, the contingent claim is collected at the terminal time, but that in addition an unpredictable surplus available as well.

The risk-free initial premium required to meet the contingent claim is given by the solution to the Dirichlet problem for a totally non-linear parabolic equation of the Pucci-Bellman type. The existence of a risk-free strategy starting with this minimum sum is dependent upon theorems ensuring the regularity of the solution and upon a non-probabilistic understanding of Itô's change of variable formulae.

To illustrate the ideas we give a very simple example of a one-dimensional barrier option where the maximum Black-Scholes price of the option over different fixed values for the volatility lying in an interval always underestimates the risk-free ‘price’ under the assumption that the volatility can vary within the same interval.

This paper puts together rather standard mathematical ideas. However, the author hopes that the overall result is more than the sum of its parts. The ability to hedge under conditions of uncertain volatility seems to be of considerable practical importance.

In addition it would be interesting if these ideas explained some features in the design of existing contracts.     

Semilinear evolution equations with nonlinear constraints and applications

This paper deals with a general class of evolution problems for semilinear equations coupled with nonlinear constraints. Those constraints may contain compositions of nonlinear operators and unbounded linear operators, and hence the associated operators are not necessarily formulated in the form of continuous perturbations of linear operators. Accordingly, a family of equivalent norms is introduced to discuss 'quasidissipativity' in a local sense of the operators and a generation theory for nonlinear semigroups is employed to construct solution operators on bounded sets. It is a feature of our treatment that the resultant solution operators are obtained as nonlinear semigroups on the whole space which are not 'quasicontractive' but locally equi-Lipschitz continuous.     

Replication and shortfall risk in a binomial model with transaction costs

The shortfall risk is defined as the optimal mean value of the terminal deficit produced by a self-financing portfolio whose initial value is smaller than what is required to replicate a contingent claim. In this paper we look for an explicit expression for it, as well as for the optimal strategy, when the market model is a binomial model with proportional transaction costs. We first study replication of European claims which satisfy suitable assumptions. We then investigate the shortfall minimization problem in a framework very similar to that without transaction costs. The author thanks the referee for useful comments on an earlier version of the present paper.     

The collective reserving model

This paper sets out a model for analysing claims development data, which we call the collective reserving model (CRM). The model is defined on the individual claim level and it produces separate IBNR and RBNS reserve estimators at the collective level without using any approximations. The CRM is based on ideas from a paper by Verrall, Nielsen and Jessen (VNJ) from 2010 in which a model is proposed that relies on a claim giving rise to a single payment. This is generalised by the CRM to the case of multiple payments per claim. All predictors of outstanding claims payments for the VNJ model are shown to hold for this new model. Moreover, the quasi-Poisson GLM estimation framework will be applicable as well, but without using an approximation. Furthermore, analytical expressions for the variance of the total outstanding claims payments are given, with a subdivision on IBNR and RBNS claims. To quantify the effect of allowing only one payment per claim, the model is related and compared to the VNJ model, in particular by looking at variance inequalities. The double chain ladder (DCL) method is discussed as an estimation method for this new model and it is shown that both the GLM- and DCL-based estimators are consistent in terms of an exposure measure. Lastly, both of these methods are shown to asymptotically reproduce the regular chain ladder reserve estimator when restricting predictions to the lower right triangle without the tail, motivating the chain ladder technique as a large-exposure approximation of this model.     

Martingales and stochastic integrals in the theory of continuous trading

This paper develops a general stochastic model of a frictionless security market with continuous trading. The vector price process is given by a semimartingale of a certain class, and the general stochastic integral is used to represent capital gains. Within the framework of this model, we discuss the modern theory of contingent claim valuation, including the celebrated option pricing formula of Black and Scholes. It is shown that the security market is complete if and only if its vector price process has a certain martingale representation property. A multidimensional generalization of the Black-Scholes model is examined in some detail, and some other examples are discussed briefly.     

Pricing and hedging in the presence of extraneous risks

Given an underlying complete financial market, we study contingent claims whose payoffs may depend on the occurrence of nonmarket events. We first investigate the almost-sure hedging of such claims. In particular, we obtain new representations of the hedging prices and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for a claim to be marketed. The analysis of various examples then leads us to investigate alternative pricing rules. We choose to embed the pricing problem into the agent’s portfolio decision and study reservation prices. We establish the existence and consistency of this pricing rule in a semimartingale model. We characterize the nonlinear dependence of the reservation price with respect to both the agent’s initial capital and the size of her position. The fair price arises as a limiting case.     

Temporally inhomogeneous nonlinear scattering theory

This paper considers scattering theory for a pair of time dependent nonlinear evolution equations. Sufficient conditions are given for the existence of the forward wave operators. An approximation theory for the forward wave operators is also developed.     

Dual representation of superhedging costs in illiquid markets

This paper studies superhedging of contingent claims in illiquid markets where trading costs may depend nonlinearly on the traded amounts and portfolios may be subject to constraints. We give dual expressions for superhedging costs of financial contracts where claims and premiums are paid possibly at multiple points in time. Besides classical pricing problems, this setup covers various swap and insurance contracts where premiums are paid in sequences. Validity of the dual expressions is proved under new relaxed conditions related to the classical no-arbitrage condition. A new version of the fundamental theorem of asset pricing is given for unconstrained models with nonlinear trading costs.