The conversion option in life insurance

This paper introduces an option that has been provided by life insurance companies extensively but has not been discussed in much in the literature; the conversion option. By constructing a valuation model, we first confirm that the conversion option may have positive values. We further find that the value of this option highly depends on the difference of the expected and actual mortality pattern after the insured individual converts his/her policy. Meanwhile, considering the general trend of mortality improvement, we incorporate this trend by applying the Lee-Carter model, hoping to provide a reasonable and fair valuation of the conversion option.     

The impact of delaying an investment decision on R&D projects in real option game

In a research and development (R&D) investment, the cost and the project value of such an investment are usually uncertain, which thus increases its complexity. Correspondingly, the NPV (Net Present Value) rule fails to evaluate the value of this project exactly, because this method does not take into account the market uncertainty, irreversibility of investment and ability of delay entry. In this paper, we employ the real option theory to evaluate the project value of a R&D investment. Since the cost of a R&D investment is very high and the flow of the information is crowded, an investor cannot make an immediate decision every time. So, the proposed real option model is an exchange option. At the same time, combining the real option and the game theory, we can find the Nash equilibrium which is the optimal strategy. Moreover, we also study how the delayed time influences the price of the project investment and how the different delayed times effect the choice of the optimal strategies.     

Call,put and bidirectional option contracts in agricultural supply chains with sales effort

This paper develops option contracts in a supplier-retailer agricultural supply chain where the market demand depends on sales effort. First, we examine a benchmark case of integrated supply chain with the loss rate. Second, we introduce three coordinating option contracts led by the supplier to reduce the retailer's risk, where the call option contract can reduce the shortage risk, the put option contract can reduce the inventory risk and the bidirectional option contract can reduce the bilateral risk. We find that both the optimal initial order quantity and the optimal option quantity increase with the sales effort and the option price will balance the influence of the loss rate on supply chain coordination. Furthermore, the bidirectional option price is the highest while its option quantity is the least, and the put option initial order quantity is the highest. Third, we also consider an option contract led by the retailer to reduce the supplier's wholesale risk. Among the above four option contracts, we find that the option quantity led by the retailer is the highest. Finally, the numerical examples present the impact of the parameters on the optimal decisions, and provide practical managerial insights to reduce the different risk in the agricultural supply chain.     

Efficient option risk measurement with reduced model risk

Options require risk measurement that is also computationally efficient as it is important to derivatives risk management. There are currently few methods that are specifically adapted for efficient option risk measurement. Moreover, current methods rely on series approximations and incur significant model risks, which inhibit their applicability for risk management.In this paper we propose a new approach to computationally efficient option risk measurement, using the idea of a replicating portfolio and coherent risk measurement. We find our approach to option risk measurement provides fast computation by practically eliminating nonlinear computational operations. We reduce model risk by eliminating calibration and implementation risks by using mostly observable data, we remove internal model risk for complex option portfolios by not admitting arbitrage opportunities, we are also able to incorporate liquidity or model misspecification risks. Additionally, our method enables tractable and convex optimisation of portfolios containing multiple options. We conduct numerical experiments to test our new approach and they validate it over a range of option pricing parameters.     

A BLACK-SCHOLES FORMULA FOR OPTION PRICING WITH DIVIDENDS

Abstract. We obtain a Black-Scholes formula for the arbitrage-free pricing of Eu-ropean Call options with constant coefficients when the underlylng stock generatesdividends. To hedge the Call option, we will always borrow money from bank. We seethe influence of the dividend term on the option pricing via the comparison theoremof BSDE(backward stochastic di~erential equation [5], [7]). We also consider the option pricing problem in terms of the borrowing rate R whichis not equal to the interest rate r. The corresponding Black-Sdxoles formula is given.We notice that it is in fact the borrowing rate that plays the role in the pricing formula.     

Optimal system of Lie group invariant solutions for the Asian option PDE

Asian options are useful financial products as they guard against large price manipulations near the termination date of the contract. In addition, they are often cheaper than their vanilla European counterparts. Previous analyses of the Asian option partial differential equation (PDE) have obtained analytical solutions for the fixed strike (arithmetically averaged) Asian option (and then only with certain assumptions on the boundary conditions). Using Lie symmetry analysis we obtain an optimal system of Lie point symmetries and demonstrate that many (usually ad hoc) reductions of the Asian option PDE are contained in this minimal set. We analyse each reduction member and the feasibility of its resulting invariant solution with the boundary conditions. We show that the numerical simulations on a reduced equation are more efficient than on the original specified problem. In addition, we have found new analytical solutions in terms of Fourier transforms for the floating strike Asian option as well as the fixed strike Asian option without the simplification of the domain. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the option pricing for a generalization of the binomial model

In the paper, we give an elementary proof of the fact that the option pricing within the model in which variation in stock prices belongs to a limited range is reduced to a similar problem in the binomial model. We also find a hedging strategy. The result obtained allows us to calculate the option price for the market with random number of variations in stock prices. The proof is given for the homogeneous model. The proof for the heterogeneous model is similar. Further, we consider the European call option. Proceedings of the Seminar on Stability Problems for Stochastic Models, Vologda, Russia, 1998, Part I.     

Multiscale analysis of a perpetual American option with the stochastic elasticity of variance

A perpetual American option is considered under a generalized model of the constant elasticity of variance model where the constant elasticity is perturbed by a small fast mean-reverting Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. By using a multiscale asymptotic analysis, we find the impact of the stochastic elasticity of variance on option prices as well as optimal exercise prices. Our results improve the existing option price structure in view of flexibility and applicability through the market price of risk. The revealed results may provide useful information on real option problems.     

Coordination of supply chains with bidirectional option contracts

In this paper we develop a supply contract for a two-echelon manufacturer–retailer supply chain with a bidirectional option, which may be exercised as either a call option or a put option. Under the bidirectional option contract, we derive closed-form expressions for the retailer’s optimal order strategies, including the initial order strategy and the option purchasing strategy, with a general demand distribution. We also analytically examine the feedback effects of the bidirectional option on the retailer’s initial order strategy. In addition, taking a chain-wide perspective, we explore how the bidirectional option contract should be set to attain supply chain coordination.     

On a decoupling approach in inverse option pricing

We present a decoupling approach for the inverse problem of option pricing which separates the identification of term and smile structure into two subproblems. The determination of the smile structure is reduced to the case of purely price-dependent options. For the identification of the term structure we suppose a Tikhonov regularization approach and present a convergence rates result including the special situation of at-the-money options. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optimal stopping, free boundary, and American option in a jump-diffusion model

This paper considers the American put option valuation in a jump-diffusion model and relates this optimal-stopping problem to a parabolic integro-differential free-boundary problem, with special attention to the behavior of the optimal-stopping boundary. We study the regularity of the American option value and obtain in particular a decomposition of the American put option price as the sum of its counterpart European price and the early exercise premium. Compared with the Black-Scholes (BS) [5] model, this premium has an additional term due to the presence of jumps. We prove the continuity of the free boundary and also give one estimate near maturity, generalizing a recent result of Barleset al. [3] for the BS model. Finally, we study the effect of the market price of jump risk and the intensity of jumps on the American put option price and its critical stock price.     

De-noising option prices with the wavelet method

Financial time series are known to carry noise. Hence, techniques to de-noise such data deserve great attention. Wavelet analysis is widely used in science and engineering to de-noise data. In this paper we show, through the use of Monte Carlo simulations, the power of the wavelet method in the de-noising of option price data. We also find that the estimation of risk-neutral density functions and out-of-sample price forecasting is significantly improved after noise is removed using the wavelet method.     

The calibration of volatility for option pricing models with jump diffusion processes

This paper is devoted to calibrate smooth local volatility surface under jump-diffusion processes. This calibration problem is posed as an inverse problem: given a finite set of observed European option prices, find a local volatility function such that the theoretical option prices matches the observed ones optimally with respect to a prescribed performance criterion. Firstly, we obtain an Euler-Lagrange equation for the calibration problem using Tikhonov regularization method. Then we solve the Euler–Lagrange equation using an iterative algorithm and obtain the volatility. Finally, numerical experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Pricing currency derivatives with Markov-modulated Lévy dynamics

Using a Lévy process we generalize formulas in Bo et al. (2010) for the Esscher transform parameters for the log-normal distribution which ensure that the martingale condition holds for the discounted foreign exchange rate. Using these values of the parameters we find a risk-neural measure and provide new formulas for the distribution of jumps, the mean jump size, and the Poisson process intensity with respect to this measure. The formulas for a European call foreign exchange option are also derived. We apply these formulas to the case of the log-double exponential distribution of jumps. We provide numerical simulations for the European call foreign exchange option prices with different parameters.     

Integer programs for margining option portfolios by option spreads with more than four legs

Margining is a crucial brokerage operation. In application to option portfolios it becomes exceptionally challenging because margin offsets with options require solving a highly intractable integer program. All these offsets are based on option spreads with a maximum of four legs. Although option spreads with more than four legs can be traced in regulatory literature of 2003, they have not yet been studied and used. Their usage in margin calculations would substantially increase the size of the program and therefore make it practically unsolvable. On the other hand, option spreads with more than four legs would allow the brokers to substantially increase the accuracy of margin calculations for option portfolios. In this paper we develop a theoretical framework for option spreads with any number of legs. We show that these spreads can be naturally described by homomorphisms of free abelian groups associated with option portfolios and option spreads with up to four legs. Using this observation we propose alternative integer programs that use option spreads with any number of legs and whose size does not depend on the number of legs. These programs can be solved in reasonable time and substantially increase the accuracy of margin calculations for option portfolios.     

Valuation of the interest rate guarantee embedded in defined contribution pension plans

In this research, we derive the valuation formulae for a defined contribution pension plan associated with the minimum rate of return guarantees. Different from the previous studies, we work on the rate of return guarantee which is linked to the δ-year spot rate. The payoffs of interest rate guarantees can be viewed as a function of the exchange option. By employing Margrabe’s [Margrabe, W., 1978. The value of an option to exchange one asset for another. Journal of Finance 33, 177–186] option pricing approach, we derive general pricing formulae under the assumptions that the interest rate dynamics follow a single-factor HJM (1992) [Heath. D. et al., 1992. Bond pricing and the term structure of interest rates: a new methodology for contingent claims valuation. Econometrica 60, 77–105] interest rate model and the asset prices follow a geometric Brownian motion. The volatility of the forward rates is assumed to be exponentially decaying. The formula is explicit for valuing maturity guarantee (type-I guarantee). For multi-period guarantee (type-II guarantee), the analytical formula only exists when the guaranteed rate is the one-year spot rate. The accuracy of the valuation formulae is illustrated with numerical analysis. We also investigate the effect of mortality and the sensitivity of key parameters on the value of the guarantee. We find that type-II guarantee is much more costly than the type-I guarantee, especially with a long duration policy. The closed form solution provides the advantage in valuing pension guarantees.     

FOREIGN CURRENCY OPTION PRICING WITH PROPORTIONAL TRANSACTION COSTS

The purpose of present work is to examine the financial problem of finding the universal reservation prices of a European call option written on exchange rate when there is proportional transaction costs of trading foreign currency in the market. An approach is suggested to compute the reservation bid-ask price of foreign currency call option based on maximizing the investor＇s expected utility. Option prices are determined from the investor＇s basic portfolio selection problem, without the need to solve a more complex optimization problem involving the insertion of the option payoffs into the terminal value function. Option prices are computed numerically in a Markov chain approximation for the case of exponential utility. Numerical results show that the option price bounds are almost independent of the alternative risk aversion parameter, but the bounds of NT region becomes narrower and the range of values of the initial holding for which the fair price lies within the bid-ask spread is shifted to a lower value when the risk aversion parameter increases.     

AN OPTION PRICING PROBLEM WITH THEUNDERLYING STOCK PAY1NG DIVIDENDS~

In this paper, a pricing problem of European call options is considered, wbete the underlying stock generates dividends d, at some fixed future dates T, before the expiration date T .without the inappropriate assumption made in that the dlvkdeMs being payed continously.The arbitrage free pricing of the option is determined via a series of partial differential equations.which is derived at the view point of backward s‘tochasric differential ertuation (BBDE). It isshowed how the dividends affect the fair price of the call options. Some simulating results are alsogiven to illust rate the respective in fluence of parameters a.T.r,K.di and F1 on the option pricing.     

Binary option pricing using fuzzy numbers

A binary option is a type of option where the payout is either fixed after the underlying stock exceeds the predetermined threshold (or strike price) or is nothing at all. Traditional option pricing models determine the option’s expected return without taking into account the uncertainty associated with the underlying asset price at maturity. Fuzzy set theory can be used to explicitly account for such uncertainty. Here we use fuzzy set theory to price binary options. Specifically, we study binary options by fuzzifying the maturity value of the stock price using trapezoidal, parabolic and adaptive fuzzy numbers.     

Robust option pricing

In this paper, we combine robust optimization and the idea of ?$?$-arbitrage to propose a tractable approach to price a wide variety of options. Rather than assuming a probabilistic model for the stock price dynamics, we assume that the conclusions of probability theory, such as the central limit theorem, hold deterministically on the underlying returns. This gives rise to an uncertainty set that the underlying asset returns satisfy. We then formulate the option pricing problem as a robust optimization problem that identifies the portfolio which minimizes the worst case replication error for a given uncertainty set defined on the underlying asset returns. The most significant benefits of our approach are (a) computational tractability illustrated by our ability to price multi-asset, American and Asian options using linear optimization; and thus the computational complexity of our approach scales polynomially with the number of assets and with time to expiry and (b) modeling flexibility illustrated by our ability to model different kinds of options, various levels of risk aversion among investors, transaction costs, shorting constraints and replication via option portfolios.