The History of the Quantitative Methods in Finance Conference Series. 1992-2007

This report charts the history of the Quantitative Methods in Finance (QMF) conference from its beginning in 1993 to the 15th conference in 2007. It lists alphabetically the 1037 speakers who presented at all 15 conferences and the titles of their papers.

A hybrid tree/finite-difference approach for Heston-Hull-White type models

We study a hybrid tree-finite difference method which permits to obtain efficient and accurate European and American option prices in the Heston Hull-White and Heston Hull-White2d models. Moreover, as a by-product, we provide a new simulation scheme to be used for Monte Carlo evaluations. Numerical results show the reliability and the efficiency of the proposed method

A Lévy Option Pricing model of FFT-Based High-order Multinomial Tree

This paper studies the method of constructing high order recombined multinomial tree based on fast Fourier transform (FFT), and applies multinomial tree option pricing under the Lévy process. First, the Lévy option pricing model and Fourier transform are introduced. Then, the network model based on FFT (Markov chain) is presented. After that, a method of constructing a recombined multinomial tree based on FFT is given. It is proved that the discrete random variables corresponding to the multinomial tree converge to the Lévy distributed continuous random variable. Next, we obtain the European option pricing formula of FFT multinomial tree pricing, and apply the reverse iteration method to the American option pricing. Finally, under the Jump-diffuse process, the difference between the computational accuracy and computational efficiency of the Semi-analytical solution of European Option and Merton European Call Option which are priced under FFT is compared. The results show that the method of constructing a high-order recombined multinomial tree based on FFT has very high calculation precision and calculation speed, which can solve the problem of traditional risk-neutral multinomial tree construction and it is a promising pricing method for derivative products

Numerical methods for option pricing.

This thesis aims to introduce some fundamental concepts underlying option valuation theory including implementation of computational tools. In many cases analytical solution for option pricing does not exist, thus the following numerical methods are used: binomial trees, Monte Carlo simulations and finite difference methods. First, an algorithm based on Hull and Wilmott is written for every method. Then these algorithms are improved in different ways. For the binomial tree both speed and memory usage is significantly improved by using only one vector instead of a whole price storing matrix. Computational time in Monte Carlo simulations is reduced by implementing a parallel algorithm (in C) which is capable of improving speed by a factor which equals the number of processors used. Furthermore, MatLab code for Monte Carlo was made faster by vectorizing simulation process. Finally, obtained option values are compared to those obtained with popular finite difference methods, and it is discussed which of the algorithms is more appropriate for which purpose

From Continuous to Discrete: Studies on Continuity Corrections and Monte Carlo Simulation with Applications to Barrier Options and American Options

This dissertation 1) shows continuity corrections for first passage probabilities of Brownian bridge and barrier joint probabilities, which are applied to the pricing of two-dimensional barrier and partial barrier options, and 2) introduces new variance reduction techniques and computational improvements to Monte Carlo methods for pricing American options. The joint distribution of Brownian motion and its first passage time has found applications in many areas, including sequential analysis, pricing of barrier options, and credit risk modeling. There are, however, no simple closed-form solutions for these joint probabilities in a discrete-time setting. Chapter 2 shows that, discrete two-dimensional barrier and partial barrier joint probabilities can be approximated by their continuous-time probabilities with remarkable accuracy after shifting the barrier away from the underlying by a factor. We achieve this through a uniform continuity correction theorem on the first passage probabilities for Brownian bridge, extending relevant results in Siegmund (1985a). The continuity corrections are applied to the pricing of two-dimensional barrier and partial barrier options, extending the results in Broadie, Glasserman & Kou (1997) on one-dimensional barrier options. One interesting aspect is that for type B partial barrier options, the barrier correction cannot be applied throughout one pricing formula, but only to some barrier values and leaving the other unchanged, the direction of correction may also vary within one formula. In Chapter 3 we introduce new variance reduction techniques and computational improvements to Monte Carlo methods for pricing American-style options. For simulation algorithms that compute lower bounds of American option values, we apply martingale control variates and introduce the local policy enhancement, which adopts a local simulation to improve the exercise policy. For duality-based upper bound methods, specifically the primal-dual simulation algorithm (Andersen and Broadie 2004), we have developed two improvements. One is sub-optimality checking, which saves unnecessary computation when it is sub-optimal to exercise the option along the sample path; the second is boundary distance grouping, which reduces computational time by skipping computation on selected sample paths based on the distance to the exercise boundary. Numerical results are given for single asset Bermudan options, moving window Asian options and Bermudan max options. In some examples the computational time is reduced by a factor of several hundred, while the confidence interval of the true option value is considerably tighter than before the improvements

Randomized Binomial Tree and Pricing of American-Style Options

Randomized binomial tree and methods for pricing American options were studied. Firstly, both the completeness and the no-arbitrage conditions in the randomized binomial tree market were proved. Secondly, the description of the node was given, and the cubic polynomial relationship between the number of nodes and the time steps was also obtained. Then, the characteristics of paths and storage structure of the randomized binomial tree were depicted. Then, the procedure and method for pricing American-style options were given in a random binomial tree market. Finally, a numerical example pricing the American option was illustrated, and the sensitivity analysis of parameter was carried out. The results show that the impact of the occurrence probability of the random binomial tree environment on American option prices is very significant. With the traditional complete market characteristics of random binary and a stronger ability to describe, at the same time, maintaining a computational feasibility, randomized binomial tree is a kind of promising method for pricing financial derivatives

Singular points binomial method for pricing American fixed lookback options

An option is the opportunity to buy or sell an underlying asset with a fixed price at a given time in the future. One of the biggest difficulties in option theory is determining the correct value of an option. In this thesis, we discuss what European and American options are, we further move on to price American lookback options using the singular point method. We use singular points which are formed on the nodes of the tree and apply the binomial method to find price of the option which are represented as continuous piecewise linear functions. The reflection principle and combinatorics are used in pricing European lookback options. Under the reflection principle the emphasis is on finding the appropriate probability convenient to use in pricing the option under the method suggested by John Hull

Efficient valuation of exotic derivatives with path-dependence and early exercise features

The main objective of this thesis is to provide effective means for the valuation of popular financial derivative contracts with path-dependence and/or early-exercisable provisions. Starting from the risk-neutral valuation formula, the approach we propose is to sequentially compute convolutions of the value function of the contract at a monitoring date with the transition density between two dates, to provide the value function at the previous monitoring date, until the present date. A rigorous computational algorithm for the convolutions is then developed based on transformations to the Fourier domain. In the first part of the thesis, we deal with arithmetic Asian options, which, due to the growing popularity they enjoy in the financial marketplace, have been researched signicantly over the last two decades. Although few remarkable approaches have been proposed so far, these are restricted to the market assumptions imposed by the standard Black-Scholes-Merton paradigm. Others, although in theory applicable to Lévy models, are shown to suffer a non-monotone convergence when implemented numerically. To solve the Asian option pricing problem, we initially propose a flexible framework for independently distributed log-returns on the underlying asset. This allows us to generalize firstly in calculating the price sensitivities. Secondly, we consider an extension to non-Lévy stochastic volatility models. We highlight the benefits of the new scheme and, where relevant, benchmark its performance against an analytical approximation, control variate Monte Carlo strategies and existing forward convolution algorithms for the recovery of the density of the underlying average price. In the second part of the thesis, we carry out an analysis on the rapidly growing market of convertible bonds (CBs). Despite the vast amount of research which has been undertaken yet. This is due to the need for proper modelling of the CBs composite payout structure and the multi factor modelling arising in the CB valuation. Given the dimensional capacity of the convolution algorithm, we are now able to introduce a new jump diffusion structural approach in the CB literature, towards more realistic modelling of the default risk, and further include correlated stochastic interest rates. This aims at fixing dimensionality and convergence limitations which previously have been restricting the range of applicability of popular grid- based, lattice and Monte Carlo methods. The convolution scheme further permits flexible handling of real-world CB specications; this allows us to properly model the call policy and investigate its impact on the computed CB prices. We illustrate the performance of the numerical scheme and highlight the effects originated by the inclusion of jumps