Multivariate Option Pricing with Time Varying Volatility and Correlations

In recent years multivariate models for asset returns have received much attention, in particular this is the case for models with time varying volatility. In this paper we consider models of this class and examine their potential when it comes to option pricing. Specifically, we derive the risk neutral dynamics for a general class of multivariate heteroskedastic models, and we provide a feasible way to price options in this framework. Our framework can be used irrespective of the assumed underlying distribution and dynamics, and it nests several important special cases. We provide an application to options on the minimum of two indices. Our results show that not only is correlation important for these options but so is allowing this correlation to be dynamic. Moreover, we show that for the general model exposure to correlation risk carries an important premium, and when this is neglected option prices are estimated with errors. Finally, we show that when neglecting the non-Gaussian features of the data, option prices are also estimated with large errors.Multivariate risk premia, option pricing, GARCH models

Bayesian inference for the mixed conditional heteroskedasticity model

We estimate by Bayesian inference the mixed conditional heteroskedasticity model of (Haas, Mittnik, and Paolella 2004a). We construct a Gibbs sampler algorithm to compute posterior and predictive densities. The number of mixture components is selected by the marginal likelihood criterion. We apply the model to the SP500 daily returns.Finite mixture, ML estimation, bayesian inference, value at risk.

Density and Hazard Rate Estimation for Censored and ?-mixing Data Using Gamma Kernels

In this paper we consider the nonparametric estimation for a density and hazard rate function for right censored ?-mixing survival time data using kernel smoothing techniques. Since survival times are positive with potentially a high concentration at zero, one has to take into account the bias problems when the functions are estimated in the boundary region. In this paper, gamma kernel estimators of the density and the hazard rate function are proposed. The estimators use adaptive weights depending on the point in which we estimate the function, and they are robust to the boundary bias problem. For both estimators, the mean squared error properties, including the rate of convergence, the almost sure consistency and the asymptotic normality are investigated. The results of a simulation demonstrate the excellent performance of the proposed estimators.Gamma kernel, Kaplan Meier, density and hazard function, mean integrated squared error, consistency, asymptotic normality.

Style rotation and performance persistence of mutual funds

Most academic studies on performance persistence in monthly mutual fund returns do not find evidence for timing skills of fund managers. Furthermore, realized returns are undoubtedly driven by the investment style of a fund. We propose a new holdings-based measure of style rotation to investigate the relation between performance persistence and changes in style. For a large sample of U.S. domestic equity mutual funds we find that top and bottom performing decile portfolios, sorted on past one-year returns and risk djusted excess performance from a 4-factor model, are subject to a higher degree of style rotation than middle deciles. Style inconsistent funds with high values for the style rotation measure in turn exhibit less persistence in decile rankings over subsequent years than style consistent funds. Hence, it is important for delegated portfolio management to consider style rotation when selecting managers based on past performance.mutual fund, performance persistence, style rotation.

Mixed exponential power asymmetric conditional heteroskedasticity

To match the stylized facts of high frequency financial time series precisely andparsimoniously, this paper presents a finite mixture of conditional exponential powerdistributions where each component exhibits asymmetric conditional heteroskedasticity. Weprovide stationarity conditions and unconditional moments to the fourth order. We apply thisnew class to Dow Jones index returns. We find that a two-component mixed exponentialpower distribution dominates mixed normal distributions with more components, and moreparameters, both in-sample and out-of-sample. In contrast to mixed normal distributions, allthe conditional variance processes become stationary. This happens because the mixedexponential power distribution allows for component-specific shape parameters so that it canbetter capture the tail behaviour. Therefore, the more general new class has attractive featuresover mixed normal distributions in our application: Less components are necessary and theconditional variances in the components are stationary processes. Results on NASDAQ indexreturns are similar.finite mixtures, exponential power distributions, conditional heteroskedasticity, asymmetry, heavy tails, value at risk

Semiparametric Multivariate Density Estimation for Positive Data Using Copulas.

In this paper we estimate density functions for positive multivariate data. We propose a semiparametric approach. The estimator combines gamma kernels or local linear kernels, also called boundary kernels, for the estimation of the marginal densities with semiparametric copulas to model the dependence. This semiparametric approach is robust both to the well known boundary bias problem and the curse of dimensionality problem. We derive the mean integrated squared error properties, including the rate of convergence, the uniform strong consistency and the asymptotic normality. A simulation study investigates the finite sample performance of the estimator. We find that univariate least squares cross validation, to choose the bandwidth for the estimation of the marginal densities, works well and that the estimator we propose performs very well also for data with unbounded support. Applications in the field of finance are provided.Asymptotic properties, asymmetric kernels, boundary bias, copula, curse of dimension, least squares cross validation.

Nonparametric density estimation for multivariate bounded data.

We propose a new nonparametric estimator for the density function of multivariate bounded data. As frequently observed in practice, the variables may be partially bounded (e.g., nonnegative) or completely bounded (e.g., in the unit interval). In addition, the variables may have a point mass. We reduce the conditions on the underlying density to a minimum by proposing a nonparametric approach. By using a gamma, a beta, or a local linear kernel (also called boundary kernels), in a product kernel, the suggested estimator becomes simple in implementation and robust to the well known boundary bias problem. We investigate the mean integrated squared error properties, including the rate of convergence, uniform strong consistency and asymptotic normality. We establish consistency of the least squares cross-validation method to select optimal bandwidth parameters. A detailed simulation study investigates the performance of the estimators. Applications using lottery and corporate finance data are provided.Asymmetric kernels, multivariate boundary bias, nonparametric multivariate density estimation, asymptotic properties, bandwidth selection, least squares cross-validation.

Mixed Exponential Power Asymmetric Conditional Heteroskedasticity

To match the stylized facts of high frequency financial time series precisely and parsimoniously, this paper presents a finite mixture of conditional exponential power distributions where each component exhibits asymmetric conditional heteroskedasticity. We provide stationarity conditions and unconditional moments to the fourth order. We apply this new class to Dow Jones index returns. We find that a two-component mixed exponential power distribution dominates mixed normal distributions with more components, and more parameters, both in-sample and out-of-sample. In contrast to mixed normal distributions, all the conditional variance processes become stationarity. This happens because the mixed exponential power distribution allows for component-specific shape parameters so that it can better capture the tail behaviour. Therefore, the more general new class has attractive features over mixed normal distributions in our application: Less components are necessary and the conditional variances in the components are stationarity processes. Results on NASDAQ index returns are similar.Finite mixtures, exponential power distributions, conditional heteroskedasticity, asymmetry, heavy tails, value at risk

Bayesian option pricing using mixed normal heteroskedasticity models

Bayesian inference, option pricing, finite mixture models, out-of-sample prediction, GARCH models

Nonparametric density estimation for multivariate bounded data

We propose a new nonparametric estimator for the density function of multivariate bounded data. As frequently observed in practice, the variables may be partially bounded (e.g., nonnegative) or completely bounded (e.g., in the unit interval). In addition, the variables may have a point mass. We reduce the conditions on the underlying density to a minimum by proposing anonparametric approach. By using a gamma, a beta, or a local linear kernel (also called boundary kernels), in a product kernel, the suggested estimator becomes simple in implementation and robust to the well known boundary bias problem. We investigate the mean integrated squared error properties, including the rate of convergence, uniform strong consistency and asymptoticnormality. We establish consistency of the least squares cross-validation method to select optimal bandwidth parameters. A detailed simulation study investigates the performance of the estimators. Applications using lottery and corporate finance data are provided.asymmetric kernels, multivariate boundary bias, nonparametric multivariate density estimation, asymptotic properties, bandwidth selection, least squares cross- validation