An exact pricing formula for European call options on zero-coupon bonds in the run-up to a currency union

In this paper we analyze the dynamics of zero-coupon bond options in a situation in which two open economies plan to enter a currency union in the future. More precisely, we make use of recent theoretical work on the continuous-time dynamics of interest-rate differentials between the economies involved and derive a closed-form pricing formula for a European call option on zero-coupon bonds. In a Monte-Carlo simulation study we show that significant option-pricing errors can occur when the key features of interest-rate dynamics during the run-up to the currency union are ignored.Interest-rate dynamics; valuation of interest-rate options; currency union

Identification of speculative bubbles using state-space models with Markov-switching

In this paper we use a state-space model with Markov-switching to detect speculative bubbles in stock-price data. Our two innovations are (1) to adapt this technology to the state-space representation of a well-known present-value stock-price model, and (2) to estimate the model via Kalman-filtering using a plethora of artificial as well as real-world data sets that are known to contain bubble periods. Analyzing the smoothed regime probabilities, we find that our technology is well suited to detecting stock-price bubbles in both types of data sets.Stock market dynamics; Detection of speculative bubbles; Present value models; State-space models with Markov-switching

Since When Have FOREX Markets Incorporated EMU into Currency Pricing? Evidence from Four Exchange Rate Series

Recent theory on exchange rate dynamics suggests that the mere announcement of regime switching from floating to fixed rates at a given future date triggers a reduction in exchange rate volatility during the interim period. Using a Markov-switching GARCH model this paper estimates the volatility processes of four EMU exchange rate returns vis-à-vis the German mark using daily data for the time prior to Stage III of EMU. Statistical inference yields the dates at which financial markets began to incorporate the expected EMU participation of each country into currency pricing. The data exhibits strong econometric evidence for two distinct views concerning the ultimate EMU membership: (1) Finland and France were considered irrefutable EMU members long before any official announcements. (2) At first, the markets did not reckon with the participation of Italy and Portugal for a long time, but then suddenly reversed their assessment more or less at a stroke. Neuere Theorien zur Wechselkursdynamik implizieren, daß bereits die bloße Ankündigung eines Regimewechsels von flexiblen zu festen Kursen zu einem vorgegebenen Zukunftsdatum eine Verringerung der Wechselkursvolatilität während der Interimsphase bewirkt. Auf der Basis eines Markov-Switching GARCH Modells schätzt diese Arbeit die Volatilitätsprozesse von vier EWU-Wechselkursrendite-Zeitreihen gegenüber der DM für die Zeit vor der 3. Stufe der Europäischen Währungsunion. Hieraus lassen sich durch statistische Inferenz die Zeitpunkte ermitteln, ab denen die Finanzmärkte begannen, die erwartete EWU-Teilnahme der betreffenden Staaten in ihrer Kursbildung zu berücksichtigen. Die Daten liefern starke ökonometrische Evidenz für zwei qualitativ unterschiedliche Marktbeurteilungen im Hinblick auf die letztendliche EWU-Teilnahme: (1) Finnland und Frankreich wurden bereits weit vor jeglicher offiziellen Ankündigung als definitive EWU-Teilnehmer eingestuft. (2) Zunächst rechneten die Märkte für lange Zeit nicht mit einer Teilnahme Italiens und Portugals, um diese Einschätzung dann jedoch schlagartig zu revidieren.EMU, exchange rate policy, volatility, regime-switching GARCH models, Financial Economics, F31, F33, C51,

Do Individual Index Futures Investors Destabilize the Underlying Spot Market?

This paper investigates the impact of introducing index futures trading on the volatility of the underlying stock market. We exploit a unique institutional setting in which presumably uninformed individuals are the dominant trader type in the futures markets. This enables us to investigate the destabilization hypothesis more accurately than previous studies do and to provide evidence for or against the in uence of individuals trading in index futures on spot market volatility. To overcome econometric shortcomings of the existing literature we employ a Markov-switching-GARCH approach to endogenously identify distinct volatility regimes. Our empirical evidence for Poland surprisingly suggests that the introduction of index futures trading does not destabilize the spot market. This nding is robust across 3 stock market indices and is corroborated by further analysis of a control group.Individual Investors, Uninformed Trading, Stock Index Futures, Emerging Capital Markets, Stock Market Volatility, Markov-Switching-GARCH Model

Estimating the degree of interventionist policies in the run-up to EMU

Based on a theoretical monetary exchange-rate model in continuous time this paper establishes a sequential estimation framework which is capable of indicating central bank intervention in the run-up to a currency union. Using daily pre-EMU exchange-rate data for the countries of the current euro zone, we find mixed evidence of active pre-EMU intervention policies (so-called institutional frontloading strategies). Our estimation framework is highly relevant to economic and political agents operating in financial markets of the upcoming EMU accession countries

Bayesian semiparametric multivariate stochastic volatility with application

In this article, we establish a Cholesky-type multivariate stochastic volatility estimation framework, in which we let the innovation vector follow a Dirichlet process mixture (DPM), thus enabling us to model highly flexible return distributions. The Cholesky decomposition allows parallel univariate process modeling and creates potential for estimating high-dimensional specifications. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for posterior simulation and predictive density computation. We apply our framework to a five-dimensional stock-return data set and analyze international stock-market co-movements among the largest stock markets. The empirical results show that our DPM modeling of the innovation vector yields substantial gains in out-of-sample density forecast accuracy when compared with the prevalent benchmark models

Forecasting stock market volatility with regime-switching GARCH-MIDAS : the role of geopolitical risks

We investigate the role of geopolitical risks in forecasting stock market volatility at monthly horizons within a robust autoregressive Markov-switching GARCH mixed-data-sampling (AR-MSGARCH-MIDAS) framework. Our approach accounts for structural breaks through regime switching and allows us to disentangle short- and long-run volatility components. We conduct an empirical out-of-sample forecasting analysis using (i) daily Dow Jones Industrial Average returns, and (ii) monthly sampled geopolitical risks and macroeconomic variables over a time span of 122 years. We find that the impact of geopolitical risks as explanatory variables for stock market volatility forecasts at monthly horizons hinges crucially on the specific prediction model chosen by the forecaster. After capturing the non-stationarities in the data via an MSGARCH framework, we do not find significant forecast accuracy improvements through the inclusion of geopolitical risk indices.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijforecasthj2024EconomicsSDG-08:Decent work and economic growt