Pricing Catastrophe Options with Credit Risk in a Regime-Switching Model

In this paper,we consider the price of catastrophe options with credit risk in a regime-switching model.We assume that the macroeconomic states are described by a continuous-time Markov chain with a finite state space.By using the measure change technique,we derive the price expressions of catastrophe put options.Moreover,we conduct some numerical analysis to demonstrate how the parameters of the model affect the price of the catastrophe put option.

Toxic Currency Options in Poland as a Consequence of the 2008 Financial Crisis

The paper is on toxic foreign exchange options problem which occurred in Poland just prior to and after the outbreak of the recent crisis. Especially Polish enterprises were severely stricken by transactions on fx and interest rate derivatives contracted with their banks. Poland was the only EU country which did not precipitate into recession during the financial crisis beginning in 2008. However, the toxic fx and interest rate derivatives transmitted the shockwaves from global financial markets into Poland. Huge dimensions of losses resulted in conflicts between banks and their customers, who claimed just being cheated by the financial institutions. The article deeply researches into reasons for such developments on Polish fx over-the-counter derivatives market. As a case study, an authentic strategy has been presented. The contract was concluded between the construction company and one of the biggest commercial banks in Poland. Because the case study may be representative for many other cases, the analysis includes exact pricing of option strategy and therefore reveals inequality of the contract. The consequences of non-implementing the MiFID directive in the context of derivatives offering to non-financial customers were also touched in the paper.

The Utilization of Exotic Options in the Formation of Structured Products

This paper deals with the issue of investment certificate formation in the financial market. Investment certificate is a type of structured products, the value of which is derived from the value of an underlying asset. The underlying asset is usually a share in a company, a basket of shares, or an entire index, etc.. It can be stated that for every estimated development of an asset （growth, fall, and stagnation） or for every attitude to risks （conservative or aggressive investors）, there is a suitable kind of certificate. The main objective is to perform an analysis of the structured product--Austria/Germany Bond 3 and its guarantee certificate construction using digital-barrier options. The authors have found an alternative opportunity to the purchase of this certificate, i.e., investment in a bank deposit, together with a purchase of cash or nothing down and four-knock-out call options and a sale of cash or nothing down and four-knock-out put options. The authors prove that the alternative investment has the same profit profile as the certificate. The authors made this analysis with the objective to contribute to the intellectualization of investors.

Modeling the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Local Context for a Contextualized Diffusion of Agroecological Intensification Options in Niger

Spatio-temporal variability and dynamics in Sahelian agro-pastoral zones make each local situation a special case. These specificities must be considered to guide the dissemination of agricultural options with a view to sustainable development. The territorial scale of municipalities is not sufficient for this necessary contextualization;the scale of the “village terroir” seems to be a better option. This is the hypothesis we put forward in the framework of the Global Collaboration for Resilient Food Systems program (CRFS), i.e. local context is spatially defined by village terroir. The study is based on data collected through participatory mapping and surveys in “village terroirs” in three regions of Niger (Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri). Then the links between farm managers and their cultivated land, as well as the spatio-temporal dynamics of local context are analyzed. This study provides evidence of the existence and functional usefulness of the village terroir for farmers, their land management and their activities. It demonstrates the usefulness of contextualizing agricultural options at this scale. Their analysis elucidates the links between “terroirs village” and the specific functioning of the agrosocio-ecosystems acting on each of them, thus laying the systemic and geographical foundations for a model of the spatio- temporal dynamics of “village terroirs”. This initial work has opened up new perspectives in modeling and sustainable development.

基于并发Options的双边多议题协商模型优化

针对双边多议题协商中的僵局问题,提出利用并发Options优化协商模型的方法.这种方法可在不降低双边协商效用的前提下,并行动态优化与僵局议题相关的多个议题的保留值.电子商务的实验结果表明:基于并发Options的协商模型优化方法是有效的;无论是学习速度,还是最佳策略的优化程度和泛化能力,该方法均明显优于基于标准Options和Q-学习的优化方法.

Research on Value Evaluation Method of Investment Project Based on Fuzzy Composite Real Options

Venture capital investments are characterized by high input,high yield,and high risk.Due to the complexity of the market environment,stage-by-stage investment is becoming increasingly important.Traditional evaluation methods like comparison,proportion,maturity,internal rate of return,scenario analysis,decision trees,and net present value cannot fully consider the uncertainty and stage characteristics of the project.The fuzzy real options method addresses this by combining real option theory,fuzzy number theory,and composite option theory to provide a more accurate and objective evaluation of Public-Private Partnership(PPP)projects.It effectively considers the interaction of options and the ambiguity of project parameters,making it a valuable tool for project evaluation in the context of venture capital investment.

一种融合Options与蚁群算法的虚拟机自适应配置方法

为了提高云环境的可靠性,对虚拟资源的管理是一个关键.针对虚拟机的自适应配置问题,提出一种分层强化学习Options和蚁群优化算法融合的方法 A-HRL.该方法记录蚂蚁遍历过程中留下的信息素,利用信息素变化率引入粗糙度概念,并根据粗糙度阈值创建子目标实现任务分层.将A-HRL算法应用于虚拟机自适应配置中,通过创建任务组和虚拟机可用性评估表监督每个任务的进度与质量,最大限度地提高每个应用的性能.实验结果表明,A-HRL算法比传统的强化学习算法性能更优.

On the Options of EFL Methodological Approaches

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Evaluation of Double Average Asian Options by the Legendre Spectral Method

In this paper, the evaluation of discretely sampled Asian options was considered by numerically solving the associated partial differential equations with the Legendre spectral method. Double average options were discussed as examples. The problem is a parabolic one on a finite domain whose equation degenerates into ordinary differential equations on the boundaries. A fully discrete scheme was established by using the Legendre spectral method in space and the Crank-Nicolson finite difference scheme in time. The stability and convergence of the scheme were analyzed. Numerical results show that the method can keep the spectral accuracy in space for such degenerate problems.

Treatment options for alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A review

Alcoholic liver disease(ALD)and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)are serious health problems worldwide.These two diseases have similar pathological spectra,ranging from simple steatosis to hepatitis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.Although most people with excessive alcohol or calorie intake display abnormal fat accumulation in the liver(simple steatosis),a small percentage develops progressive liver disease.Despite extensive research on understanding the pathophysiology of both these diseases there are still no targeted therapies available.The treatment for ALD remains as it was 50 years ago:abstinence,nutritional support and corticosteroids(or pentoxifylline as an alternative if steroids are contraindicated).As for NAFLD,the treatment modality is mainly directed toward weight loss and co-morbidity management.Therefore,new pathophysiology directed therapies are urgently needed.However,the involvement of several inter-related pathways in the pathogenesis of these diseases suggests that a single therapeutic agent is unlikely to be an effective treatment strategy.Hence,a combination therapy towards multiple targets would eventually be required.In this review,we delineate the treatment options in ALD and NAFLD,including various new targeted therapies that are currently under investigation.We hope that soon we will be having an effective multi-therapeutic regimen for each disease.

New therapeutic options for persistent low-level viremia in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection:Increase of entecavir dosage

Chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection(CHB)is a public health concern worldwide.Current therapies utilizing nucleos(t)ide analogs(NA)have not resulted in a complete cure for CHB.Furthermore,patients on long-term NA treatment often develop low-level viremia(LLV).Persistent LLV,in addition to causing the progression of liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma,may shed light on the current plight of NA therapy.Here,we review the literature on LLV,NA treatment,and various doses of entecavir to find a strategy for improving the efficacy of this antiviral agent.For LLV patients,three therapeutic options are available,switching to another antiviral monotherapy,interferon-αswitching therapy,and continuing monotherapy.In real-world clinical practice,entecavir overdose has been used in antiviral therapy for CHB patients with NA refractory and persistent LLV,which encouraged us to conduct further in-depth literature survey on dosage and duration related entecavir studies.The studies of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics show that entecavir has the maximal selected index for safety,and has great potential in inhibiting HBV replication,in all of the NAs.In the particular section of the drug approval package published by the United States Food and Drug Administration,entecavir doses 2.5-20 mg/d do not increase adverse events,and entecavir doses higher than 1.0 mg/d might improve the antiviral efficacy.The literature survey led us to two suggestions:(1)Increasing entecavir dose to 1.0 mg/d for the treatment of NA naïve patients with HBV DNA>2×106 IU/mL is feasible and would provide better prognosis;and(2)Further research is needed to assess the long-term toxic effects of higher entecavir doses(2.5 and 5.0 mg/d),which may prove beneficial in treating patients with prior NA treatment,partial virological response,or LLV state.

Mitigation Options for Methane, Nitrous Oxide and NitricOxide Emissions from Agricultural Ecosystems

An experimental study on mitigation of greenhouse gas (CH4, N2O and NO) emission has been conducted in a typical cropping system of Southeast China for 4 years. By simultaneous measurement, the CH4, N2O and NO emission fluxes from rice-wheat rotation fields, effects of fertilization, water management, temperature and soil moisture were investigated. Temperature, fertilization and water status were found to be the key factors to regulate CH4, N2O and NO emis-sions. Based on the experimental results, some agricultural measures were recommended as techni-cal options to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from rice-wheat rotation ecosystems. These miti-gation measures are reducing mineral N input, coupling organic manure with chemical fertilizers, applying fertilizers which release available N slowly during periods with intensive plant activity, and applying dry fermented organic manure and well management of water and fertilizer. Key words Mitigation options - Emission - Greenhouse gases - Ecosystems This study was supported by projects “ Experimental and Modeling Study on N2O Emission from the Rice-Wheat Rotation Fields of Southeast China” and “ Experimental and Modeling Study on NO Emission from Croplands” , which were granted by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the State Key Fundamental Research Project “ Predicting the Future (20–50 years) Trend of Environmental Change in China”, and the project of Chinese Academy of Sciences “ Theory and Methodology on Air Pollution Prediction”.Thanks are due to Professor Zhang Wen, Dr. Bai Jianhui, Mr. Gong Yanbang, Mrs. Luo Dongmei and Mr. Liu Guangren from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences for their help in experiments.

Technological Options to Ameliorate Waste Treatment of Intensive Pig Production in China:An Analysis Based on Bio-Economic Model

Ameliorating waste treatment by technological improvements affects the economic and the ecological-environment benefits of intensive pig production. The objective of the research was to develop and test a method to determine the technical optimization to ameliorate waste treatment methods and gain insight into the relationship between technological options and the economic and ecological effects. We developed an integrated bio-economic model which incorporates the farming production and waste disposal systems to simulate the impact of technological improvements in pig manure treatment on economic and environmental benefits for the case of a pilot farm in Beijing, China. Based on different waste treatment technology options, three scenarios are applied for the simulation analysis of the model. The simulation results reveal that the economic-environmental benefits of the livestock farm could be improved by reducing the cropland manure application and increasing the composting production with the current technologies. Nevertheless, the technical efficiency, the waste treatment capacity and the economic benefits could be further improved by the introduction of new technologies. It implies that technological and economic support policies should be implemented comprehensively on waste disposal and resource utilization to promote sustainable development in intensive livestock production in China.

A generalization of exotic options pricing formulae

Exotic options, or “path-dependent” options are options whose payoff depends on the behavior of the price of the underlying between 0 and the maturity, rather than merely on the final price of the underlying, such as compound options, reset options and so on. In this paper, a generalization of the Geske formula for compound call options is obtained in the case of time-dependent volatility and time-dependent interest rate by applying martingale methods and the change of numeraire or the change of probability measure. An analytic formula for the reset call options with predetermined dates is also derived in the case by using the same approach. In contrast to partial differential equation (PDE) approach, our approach is simpler.

Economic evaluation of agricultural pollution control options for China

Environmental sustainability has become a policy priority in China. In agriculture, China has had major success in rehabilitating desertified lands through programs to convert steeply-sloped cropland to forest and limit grazing on sensitive grasslands. However, little has been done in terms of policies for agricultural nutrient management. Runoff and leaching of nutrients in chemical fertilizers and livestock manure are widely acknowledged as significant problems in China. This paper presents an evaluation of agricultural nonpoint pollution control options for China. Options analyzed include design standards（command ＆ control）, performance standards, and design and performance incentives. Evaluation criteria include economic efficiency and effectiveness, environmental impact and risk, and social criteria such as equity and food security. The evaluation indicates that the best options for China involve subsidies to farmers for changing production practices in order to reduce nonpoint emissions, combined with appropriate farmer education and technical assistance.

Strategic mining options optimization:Open pit mining, underground mining or both

Near-surface deposits that extend to considerable depths are often amenable to both open pit mining and/or underground mining. This paper investigates the strategy of mining options for an orebody using a Mixed Integer Linear Programming(MILP) optimization framework. The MILP formulation maximizes the Net Present Value(NPV) of the reserve when extracted with(i) open pit mining,(ii) underground mining, and(iii) concurrent open pit and underground mining. Comparatively, implementing open pit mining generates a higher NPV than underground mining. However considering the investment required for these mining options, underground mining generates a better return on investment than open pit mining. Also, in the concurrent open pit and underground mining scenario, the optimizer prefers extracting blocks using open pit mining. Although the underground mine could access ore sooner, the mining cost differential for open pit mining is more than compensated for by the discounting benefits associated with earlier underground mining.

Integration of real options into short-term mine planning and production scheduling

Commodity prices have fallen sharply due to the global financial crisis. This has adversely affected the viability of some mining projects, including leading to the possibility of bankruptcy for some companies. These price falls reflect uncertainties and risks associated with mining projects. In recent years, much work has been published related to the application of real options pricing theory to value life-of-mine plans in response to long term financial uncertainty and risk. However, there are uncertainties and risks associated with medium/short-term mining operations. Real options theory can also be applied to tactical decisions involving uncertainties and risks. This paper will investigate the application of real options in the mining industry and present a methodology developed at University of Queensland, Australia, for integrating real options into medium/short-term mine planning and production scheduling. A case study will demonstrate the validity and usefulness of the methodology and techniques developed.

Investment in deepwater oil and gas exploration projects:a multi-factor analysis with a real options model

Deepwater oil and gas projects embody high risks from geology and engineering aspects, which exert substantial influence on project valuation. But the uncer- tainties may be converted to additional value to the projects in the case of flexible management. Given the flexibility of project management, this paper extends the classical real options model to a multi-factor model which contains oil price, geology, and engineering uncertainties. It then gives an application example of the new model to evaluate deepwater oil and gas projects with a numerical analytical method. Compared with other methods and models, this multi-factor real options model contains more project information. It reflects the potential value deriving not only from oil price variation but also from geology and engi- neering uncertainties, which provides more accurate and reliable valuation information for decision makers.

Franchise ownership redirection:real options perspective

Background:For over 40 years,the franchise ownership redirection hypothesis has attracted the attention of many scholars.This study,differing from previous ones,proposes an alternative approach for this hypothesis using a real options framework with the extension of agency theory.Method:The real options model is built using the least square Monte Carlo method,where the franchisor’s decision to franchise is perceived as a deferred investment while maintaining the right of future acquisition.Result:Tested using monte carlo simulation based hypothetical case,the model shows a different result from classical real options call model.This is mainly due to franchise contractual arrangement,where royalty fee lower the threshold of acquisition cost in converting the franchise outlet to company owned.Conclusion:The aim of this study is to create an analytical framework that helps a franchisor decide whether or not toacquire and convert a franchise unit to a company-owned unit at a certain point in time,analyzing the choice as a deferment of investment.The franchisors that faces the opportunity to optimize profit by converting the franchise unit to a company-owned unit should acknowledge it as real options thus negotiate the terms with their franchisees.

Recognizing production options for pearl millet in Pakistan under changing climate scenarios

Climate change is making the lands a harsher environment all over the world including Pakistan. It is expected to oppose us with three main challenges： increase in temperature up to 2-5℃ （heat stress）, increasing water stress and severe malnourishment due to climate change. It has been foreseen that there will be a 10% increase of dryland areas with climate change in the world, with more variability and incidences of short periods of extreme events （drought and heat stress）. Pearl millet is a hardy, climate smart grain crop, idyllic for environments prone to drought and heat stresses. The crop continues to produce highly nutritious grain sustainably, thereby encouraging the fight against poverty and food insecurity due to its resilience. The crop is more responsive to good production options （planting time, planting density, inter/intra row spacing, nitrogen application and irrigation）. It has high crop growth rate, large leaf area index and high radiation use efficiency that confers its high potential yield. In most of the cases, pearl millet is remained our agricultural answer to the climate calamity that we are facing, because it is selected as water saving, drought tolerant and climate change complaint crop. In view of circumstances, pearl millet cultivation must be retrieved by recognizing production options in context to changing climate scenarios of Pakistan using crop modeling techniques.