Index-option Pricing with Stochastic Volatility and the Value of Accurate Variance Forecasts


Book Description

In pricing primary-market options and in making secondary markets, financial intermediaries depend on the quality of forecasts of the variance of the underlying assets. Hence, the gain from improved pricing of options would be a measure of the value of a forecast of underlying asset returns. NYSE index returns over the period of 1968-1991 are used to suggest that pricing index options of up to 90-days maturity would be more accurate when: (1) using ARCH specifications in place of a moving average of squared returns; (2) using Hull and White's (1987) adjustment for stochastic variance in Black and Scholes's (1973) formula; (3) accounting explicitly for weekends and the slowdown of variance whenever the market is closed.




Index-Option Pricing with Stochastic Volatility and the Value of Accurate Variance Forecasts


Book Description

In pricing primary-market options and in making secondary markets, financial intermediaries depend on the quality of forecasts of the variance of the underlying assets. Hence, the gain from improved pricing of options would be a measure of the value of a forecast of underlying asset returns. NYSE index returns over the period of 1968-1991 are used to suggest that pricing index options of up to 90-days maturity would be more accurate when: (1) using ARCH specifications in place of a moving average of squared returns; (2) using Hull and White's (1987) adjustment for stochastic variance in Black and Scholes's (1973) formula; (3) accounting explicitly for weekends and the slowdown of variance whenever the market is closed.







A Test of Efficiency for the S & P 500 Index Option Market Using Variance Forecasts


Book Description

To forecast future option prices, autoregressive models of implied volatility derived from observed option prices are commonly employed [see Day and Lewis (1990), and Harvey and Whaley (1992)]. In contrast, the ARCH model proposed by Engle (1982) models the dynamic behavior in volatility, forecasting future volatility using only the return series of an asset. We assess the performance of these two volatility prediction models from S&P 500 index options market data over the period from September 1986 to December 1991 by employing two agents who trade straddles, each using one of the two different methods of forecast. Straddle trading is employed since a straddle does not need to be hedged. Each agent prices options according to her chosen method of forecast, buying (selling) straddles when her forecast price for tomorrow is higher (lower) than today's market closing price, and at the end of each day the rates of return are computed. We find that the agent using the GARCH forecast method earns greater profit than the agent who uses the implied volatility regression (IVR) forecast model. In particular, the agent using the GARCH forecast method earns a profit in excess of a cost of $0.25 per straddle with the near-the-money straddle trading.










Forecasting Volatility in the Financial Markets


Book Description

'Forecasting Volatility in the Financial Markets' assumes that the reader has a firm grounding in the key principles and methods of understanding volatility measurement and builds on that knowledge to detail cutting edge modelling and forecasting techniques. It then uses a technical survey to explain the different ways to measure risk and define the different models of volatility and return.The editors have brought together a set of contributors that give the reader a firm grounding in relevant theory and research and an insight into the cutting edge techniques applied in this field of the financial markets.This book is of particular relevance to anyone who wants to understand dynamic areas of the financial markets.* Traders will profit by learning to arbitrage opportunities and modify their strategies to account for volatility.* Investment managers will be able to enhance their asset allocation strategies with an improved understanding of likely risks and returns.* Risk managers will understand how to improve their measurement systems and forecasts, enhancing their risk management models and controls.* Derivative specialists will gain an in-depth understanding of volatility that they can use to improve their pricing models.* Students and academics will find the collection of papers an invaluable overview of this field.This book is of particular relevance to those wanting to understand the dynamic areas of volatility modeling and forecasting of the financial marketsProvides the latest research and techniques for Traders, Investment Managers, Risk Managers and Derivative Specialists wishing to manage their downside risk exposure Current research on the key forecasting methods to use in risk management, including two new chapters




Forecasting Volatility


Book Description







Computational Finance 1999


Book Description

This book covers the techniques of data mining, knowledge discovery, genetic algorithms, neural networks, bootstrapping, machine learning, and Monte Carlo simulation. Computational finance, an exciting new cross-disciplinary research area, draws extensively on the tools and techniques of computer science, statistics, information systems, and financial economics. This book covers the techniques of data mining, knowledge discovery, genetic algorithms, neural networks, bootstrapping, machine learning, and Monte Carlo simulation. These methods are applied to a wide range of problems in finance, including risk management, asset allocation, style analysis, dynamic trading and hedging, forecasting, and option pricing. The book is based on the sixth annual international conference Computational Finance 1999, held at New York University's Stern School of Business.