High-order exponential spline method for pricing European options

ABSTRACT

The key purpose of the present work is to constitute an analysis of a numerical method for a degenerate partial differential equation, called the Black–Scholes equation, governing European option pricing. The method is based on exponential spline spatial discretization and an explicit finite-difference time-stepping technique. We establish the convergence and an error bound for the solutions of the fully discretized system. The numerical and graphical results elucidate that the suggested approach is very straightforward and accurate.     

A numerical method for pricing European options with proportional transaction costs

In the paper, we propose a numerical technique based on a finite difference scheme in space and an implicit time-stepping scheme for solving the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation arising from the penalty formulation of the valuation of European options with proportional transaction costs. We show that the approximate solution from the numerical scheme converges to the viscosity solution of the HJB equation as the mesh sizes in space and time approach zero. We also propose an iterative scheme for solving the nonlinear algebraic system arising from the discretization and establish a convergence theory for the iterative scheme. Numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the method.     

Pricing VIX options with stochastic skew and asymmetric jumps

This paper performs several empirical exercises to provide evidence that the stochas-tic skew behavior and asymmetric jumps exist in VIX markets.In order to adequately capture all of the features,we develop a general valuation model and obtain quasi-analytical solutions for pricing VIX options.In addition,we make comparative studies of alternative models to illustrate the e ects after taking into account these features on the valuation of VIX options and investigate the relative value of an additional volatility factor and jump components.The empirical results indicate that the multi-factor volatility structure is vital to VIX option pricing due to providing more exibility in the modeling of VIX dynamics,and the need for asymmetric jumps cannot be eliminated by an additional volatility factor.     

Central limit theorems for power variation of Gaussian integral processes with jumps

This paper presents limit theorems for realized power variation of processes of the form Xt=t0φsdGs+ξt as the sampling frequency within a fixed interval increases to infinity.Here G is a Gaussian process with stationary increments,ξis a purely non-Gaussian L′evy process independent from G,andφis a stochastic process ensuring that the integral is well defined as a pathwise Riemann-Stieltjes integral.We obtain the central limit theorems for the case that both the continuous term and the jump term are presented simultaneously in the law of large numbers.     

Analytical valuation of catastrophe equity options with negative exponential jumps

A catastrophe put option is valuable in the event that the underlying asset price is below the strike price; in addition, a specified catastrophic event must have happened and influenced the insured company. This paper analyzes the valuation of catastrophe put options under deterministic and stochastic interest rates when the underlying asset price is modeled through a Lévy process with finite activity. We provide explicit analytical formulas for evaluating values of catastrophe put options. The numerical examples illustrate how financial risks and catastrophic risks affect the prices of catastrophe put options.     

A hybrid method for pricing European options based on multiple assets with transaction costs

The problem of pricing European options based on multiple assets with transaction costs is considered. These options include, for example, quality options and options on the minimum of two or more risky assets. The value of these options is the solution of a nonlinear parabolic partial differential equation subject to a final condition given by the payoff function associated with the option. A computationally efficient method to solve this final-value problem is proposed. This method is based on an asymptotic expansion of the required solution with respect to the parameters related to the transaction costs followed by the numerical solution of the linear partial differential equations obtained at each order in perturbation theory. The numerical solution of these linear problems involves an implicit finite-difference scheme for the parabolic equation and the use of the fast Fourier sine transform to solve the resulting elliptic problems. Numerical results obtained on test problems with the method proposed here are shown and discussed.     

Optimal trading strategy for European options with transaction costs

The European option with transaction costs is studied. The cost of making a transaction is taken to be proportional by a factor λ to the value (in dollars) of stock traded. When there are no transaction costs (i.e. when λ=0) the well-known Black-Scholes strategy tells how to hedge the option. Since no non-trivial perfect hedging strategy exists when λ>0 (see (Ann. Appl. Probab. 5(2) (1995) 327)), we instead try to maximize the expected utility attainable. We seek to understand the effect transaction costs have on the maximum attainable expected utility over all strategies, when λ is small but non-zero. It turns out that transaction costs diminish the expected utility by an amount which has the order of magnitude λ^2/3. We will compute that correction explicitly modulo an error which is small compared to λ^2/3. We will exhibit an explicit strategy whose expected utility differs from the maximum attainable expected utility by an error small in comparison to λ^2/3.     

Partial differential integral equation model for pricing American option under multi state regime switching with jumps

In this paper, we consider a two dimensional partial differential integral equation (PDIE) model for pricing American option. A nonlinear rationality parameter function for two asset problems is introduced to deal with the free boundary. The rationality parameter function is added in the PDIEs used for pricing American option problems under multi-state regime switching with jumps. The resulting two dimensional nonlinear system of PDIE is then numerically solved. Based on real poles rational approximation, a strongly stable highly efficient and reliable method is developed to solve such complicated systems of PIDEs. The method is build in a predictor corrector style which makes it linearly implicit, therefore, avoids solving nonlinear systems of equations at each time step in all regimes. The method is seen to maintain the stability and convergence for large jump sizes and high volatility in each regime. The impact of regime switching on option prices corresponding to different values interest rate, volatility, and rationality parameter is computed, illustrated by graphs and given in the tables. Convergence results in each regime are presented and time evolution graphs are given to show the effectiveness and reliability of the method.     

An integral representation approach for valuing American-style installment options with continuous payment plan

In this paper, we present an integral equation approach for the valuation of American-style installment derivatives when the payment plan is assumed to be a continuous function of the asset price and time. The contribution of this study is threefold. First, we show that in the Black-Scholes model the option pricing problem can be formulated as a free boundary problem under very general conditions on payoff structure and payment schedule. Second, by applying a Fourier transform-based solution technique, we derive a system of coupled recursive integral equations for the pair of free boundaries along with an analytic representation of the option price. Third, based on these results, we propose a unified framework which generalizes the existing methods and is capable of dealing with a wide range of monotonic payoff functions and continuous payment plans. Finally, by using the illustrative example of American vanilla installment call options, an explicit pricing formula is obtained for time-varying payment schedules.     

Pricing vulnerable European options with stochastic default barriers

CF Lo and KC Ku Institute of Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China Email: cho-hoi_hui{at}hkma.gov.hk Received on 31 July 2006. Accepted on 15 March 2007. This paper develops a valuation model of European options incorporatinga stochastic default barrier, which extends a constant defaultbarrier proposed in the Hull–White model. The defaultbarrier is considered as an option writer's liability. Closed-formsolutions of vulnerable European option values based on themodel are derived to study the impact of the stochastic defaultbarriers on option values. The numerical results show that negativecorrelation between the firm values and the stochastic defaultbarriers of option writers gives material reductions in optionvalues where the options are written by firms with leverageratios corresponding to BBB or BB ratings.     

Pricing VIX options in a 3/2 plus jumps model

This paper proposes and makes a study of a new model (called the 3/2 plus jumps model) for VIX option pricing. The model allows the mean-reversion speed and volatility of volatility to be highly sensitive to the actual level of VIX. In particular, the positive volatility skew is addressed by the 3/2 plus jumps model. Daily calibration is used to prove that the proposed model preserves its validity and reliability for both in-sample and out-of-sample tests. The results show that the models are capable of fitting the market price while generating positive volatility skew.     

On the explicit evaluation of the Geometric Asian options in stochastic volatility models with jumps

In the present paper we provide a semiexplicit valuation formula for Geometric Asian options, with fixed and floating strike under continuous monitoring, when the underlying stock price process exhibits both stochastic volatility and jumps. More precisely, we shall work in the Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard (BNS) model framework. We shall provide some numerical illustrations of the results obtained.     

Variational-iterative method for integral equations

We study applications of the variational-iterative method to nonlinear integral equations with potential strongly monotone and Lipschitz-continuous operators and investigate its rate of convergence for special systems of coordinate functions.Translated from Ukrainskii Matematicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 42, No. 12, pp. 1626–1635, December, 1990.     

Extrapolation method for Fredholm integral equations with non-smooth kernels

Summary This note analyses the methods of extrapolation from certain approximate solutions of integral equations whose kernels have lower degree smoothness. We show that in order to generate a global superconvergent approximation the extrapolation procedure must be applied to the iterated collocation solution rather than to the usual Nyström solution.     

Mathematical analysis of a nonlinear PDE model for European options with counterparty risk

In this work, we analyze a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) model for the total value adjustment on European options in the presence of a counterparty risk. We transform the nonlinear PDE into an equivalent one, involving a sectorial operator, and prove the existence and uniqueness of a solution.     

Densities for Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes with jumps

We consider an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process with valuesin ⁿ driven by a Lévy process (Z_t) taking values in ^dwith d possibly smaller than n. The Lévy noise can havea degenerate or even vanishing Gaussian component. Under a controllabilityrank condition and a mild assumption on the Lévy measureof (Z_t), we prove that the law of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeckprocess at any time t > 0 has a density on ⁿ. Moreover, whenthe Lévy process is of -stable type, (0, 2), we showthat such density is a C-function.     

The CONV method for pricing options

In this paper, we discuss a convolution based method, the CONV method, for pricing options with early-exercise features, in which the asset prices are modeled by Lévy processes. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)