A First Course in Options Pricing Theory


Book Description

Among the many branches of applied mathematics, options pricing theory occupies a unique position: it utilizes a wide range of advanced mathematical concepts, making it appealing to mathematicians, and it is regularly applied at financial institutions, making it indispensable to practitioners. The emergence of artificial intelligence in the financial industry has led to further interest in mathematical finance and has increased the demand for literature on this subject that is accessible to a large audience. This book presents a self-contained introduction to options pricing theory and includes a complete discussion of the required concepts in finance and probability theory; an introduction to basic models, emphasizing both critical thinking and practical applications; and over 200 exercises, several Python codes for the analysis and application of the options pricing models, and numerical projects intended to help close the gap between theory and practice. A First Course in Options Pricing Theory is suitable for an advanced undergraduate course on financial mathematics and options pricing theory in engineering, computer science, and applied mathematics programs. The reader is assumed to be familiar with the standard material in calculus and linear algebra. Stochastic calculus is not used in the book.




Introduction to Option Pricing Theory


Book Description

Since the appearance of seminal works by R. Merton, and F. Black and M. Scholes, stochastic processes have assumed an increasingly important role in the development of the mathematical theory of finance. This work examines, in some detail, that part of stochastic finance pertaining to option pricing theory. Thus the exposition is confined to areas of stochastic finance that are relevant to the theory, omitting such topics as futures and term-structure. This self-contained work begins with five introductory chapters on stochastic analysis, making it accessible to readers with little or no prior knowledge of stochastic processes or stochastic analysis. These chapters cover the essentials of Ito's theory of stochastic integration, integration with respect to semimartingales, Girsanov's Theorem, and a brief introduction to stochastic differential equations. Subsequent chapters treat more specialized topics, including option pricing in discrete time, continuous time trading, arbitrage, complete markets, European options (Black and Scholes Theory), American options, Russian options, discrete approximations, and asset pricing with stochastic volatility. In several chapters, new results are presented. A unique feature of the book is its emphasis on arbitrage, in particular, the relationship between arbitrage and equivalent martingale measures (EMM), and the derivation of necessary and sufficient conditions for no arbitrage (NA). {\it Introduction to Option Pricing Theory} is intended for students and researchers in statistics, applied mathematics, business, or economics, who have a background in measure theory and have completed probability theory at the intermediate level. The work lends itself to self-study, as well as to a one-semester course at the graduate level.




Computational Methods for Option Pricing


Book Description

This book allows you to understand fully the modern tools of numerical analysis in finance.




A First Course in Quantitative Finance


Book Description

Using stereoscopic images and other novel pedagogical features, this book offers a comprehensive introduction to quantitative finance.




Volatility Trading, + website


Book Description

In Volatility Trading, Sinclair offers you a quantitative model for measuring volatility in order to gain an edge in your everyday option trading endeavors. With an accessible, straightforward approach. He guides traders through the basics of option pricing, volatility measurement, hedging, money management, and trade evaluation. In addition, Sinclair explains the often-overlooked psychological aspects of trading, revealing both how behavioral psychology can create market conditions traders can take advantage of-and how it can lead them astray. Psychological biases, he asserts, are probably the drivers behind most sources of edge available to a volatility trader. Your goal, Sinclair explains, must be clearly defined and easily expressed-if you cannot explain it in one sentence, you probably aren't completely clear about what it is. The same applies to your statistical edge. If you do not know exactly what your edge is, you shouldn't trade. He shows how, in addition to the numerical evaluation of a potential trade, you should be able to identify and evaluate the reason why implied volatility is priced where it is, that is, why an edge exists. This means it is also necessary to be on top of recent news stories, sector trends, and behavioral psychology. Finally, Sinclair underscores why trades need to be sized correctly, which means that each trade is evaluated according to its projected return and risk in the overall context of your goals. As the author concludes, while we also need to pay attention to seemingly mundane things like having good execution software, a comfortable office, and getting enough sleep, it is knowledge that is the ultimate source of edge. So, all else being equal, the trader with the greater knowledge will be the more successful. This book, and its companion CD-ROM, will provide that knowledge. The CD-ROM includes spreadsheets designed to help you forecast volatility and evaluate trades together with simulation engines.




An Elementary Introduction to Mathematical Finance


Book Description

This textbook on the basics of option pricing is accessible to readers with limited mathematical training. It is for both professional traders and undergraduates studying the basics of finance. Assuming no prior knowledge of probability, Sheldon M. Ross offers clear, simple explanations of arbitrage, the Black-Scholes option pricing formula, and other topics such as utility functions, optimal portfolio selections, and the capital assets pricing model. Among the many new features of this third edition are new chapters on Brownian motion and geometric Brownian motion, stochastic order relations and stochastic dynamic programming, along with expanded sets of exercises and references for all the chapters.




Option Volatility & Pricing: Advanced Trading Strategies and Techniques


Book Description

Provides a thorough discussion of volatility, the most important aspect of options trading. Shows how to identify mispriced options and to construct volatility and "delta neutral" spreads.




Analysis, Geometry, and Modeling in Finance


Book Description

Analysis, Geometry, and Modeling in Finance: Advanced Methods in Option Pricing is the first book that applies advanced analytical and geometrical methods used in physics and mathematics to the financial field. It even obtains new results when only approximate and partial solutions were previously available.Through the problem of option pricing, th




A First Course in Stochastic Calculus


Book Description

A First Course in Stochastic Calculus is a complete guide for advanced undergraduate students to take the next step in exploring probability theory and for master's students in mathematical finance who would like to build an intuitive and theoretical understanding of stochastic processes. This book is also an essential tool for finance professionals who wish to sharpen their knowledge and intuition about stochastic calculus. Louis-Pierre Arguin offers an exceptionally clear introduction to Brownian motion and to random processes governed by the principles of stochastic calculus. The beauty and power of the subject are made accessible to readers with a basic knowledge of probability, linear algebra, and multivariable calculus. This is achieved by emphasizing numerical experiments using elementary Python coding to build intuition and adhering to a rigorous geometric point of view on the space of random variables. This unique approach is used to elucidate the properties of Gaussian processes, martingales, and diffusions. One of the book's highlights is a detailed and self-contained account of stochastic calculus applications to option pricing in finance. Louis-Pierre Arguin's masterly introduction to stochastic calculus seduces the reader with its quietly conversational style; even rigorous proofs seem natural and easy. Full of insights and intuition, reinforced with many examples, numerical projects, and exercises, this book by a prize-winning mathematician and great teacher fully lives up to the author's reputation. I give it my strongest possible recommendation. —Jim Gatheral, Baruch College I happen to be of a different persuasion, about how stochastic processes should be taught to undergraduate and MA students. But I have long been thinking to go against my own grain at some point and try to teach the subject at this level—together with its applications to finance—in one semester. Louis-Pierre Arguin's excellent and artfully designed text will give me the ideal vehicle to do so. —Ioannis Karatzas, Columbia University, New York




Basic Black-Scholes: Option Pricing and Trading


Book Description

THE AUTHOR: Dr. Crack studied PhD-level option pricing at MIT and Harvard Business School, taught undergraduate and MBA option pricing at Indiana University (winning many teaching awards), was an independent consultant to the New York Stock Exchange, worked as an asset management practitioner in London, and has traded options for over 15 years. This unique mixture of learning, teaching, consulting, practice, and trading is reflected in every page. SUMMARY OVERVIEW: This revised third edition of Basic Black-Scholes gives extremely clear explanations of Black-Scholes option pricing theory, and discusses direct applications of the theory to option trading. The presentation does not go far beyond basic Black-Scholes for three reasons: First, a novice need not go far beyond Black-Scholes to make money in the options markets; Second, all high-level option pricing theory is simply an extension of Black-Scholes; and Third, there already exist many books that look far beyond Black-Scholes without first laying the firm foundation given here. The trading advice does not go far beyond elementary call and put positions because more complex trades are simply combinations of these. WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK SPECIAL OR UNIQUE?: -It contains the basic intuition you need to trade options for the first time, or interview for an options job. -Honest advice about trading: there is no simple way to beat the markets, but if you have skill this advice can help make you money, and if you have no skill but still choose to trade, this advice can reduce your losses. -Full immersion treatment of transactions costs (T-costs). -Lessons from trading stated in simple terms. -Stylized facts about the markets (e.g., how to profit from reversals, when are T-costs highest/lowest during the trading day, implications of the market for corporate control, etc.). -How to apply (European-style) Black-Scholes pricing to the trading of (American-style) options. -Leverage through margin trading compared to leverage through options. -Black-Scholes option pricing code for the HP17B, HP19B, and HP12C. -Two downloadable spreadsheets. The first allows the user to forecast T-costs for option positions using simple models. The second allows the user to explore option sensitivities including the Greeks. -Practitioner Bloomberg Terminal screenshots to aid learning. -Simple discussion of continuously-compounded returns. -Introduction to "paratrading" (trading stocks side-by-side with options to generate additional profit). -Unique "regrets" treatment of early exercise decisions and trade-offs for American-style calls and puts. -Unique discussion of put-call parity and option pricing. -How to calculate Black-Scholes in your head in 10 seconds (also in Heard on The Street: Quantitative Questions from Wall Street Job Interviews). -Special attention to arithmetic Brownian motion with general pricing formulae and comparisons to Bachelier (1900) and Black-Scholes. -Careful attention to the impact of dividends in analytical American option pricing. -Dimensional analysis and the adequation formula (relating FX call and FX put prices through transformed Black-Scholes formulae). -Intuitive review of risk-neutral pricing/probabilities and how and why these are related to physical pricing/probabilities. -Careful distinction between the early Merton (non-risk-neutral) hedging-type argument and later Cox-Ross/Harrison-Kreps risk-neutral pricing -Simple discussion of Monte-Carlo methods in science and option pricing. -Simple interpretations of the Black-Scholes formula and PDE and implications for trading. -Careful discussion of conditional probabilities as they relate to Black-Scholes. -Intuitive treatment of high-level topics e.g., bond-numeraire interpretation of Black-Scholes (where N(d2) is P*(ITM)) versus the stock-numeraire interpretation (where N(d1) is P**(ITM)).




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