NUMERICAL ANALYSIS ON BINOMIAL TREE METHODS FOR AMERICAN LOOKBACK OPTIONS

Lookback options are path-dependent options. In general, the binomial tree methods, as the most popular approaches to pricing options, involve a path dependent variable as well as the underlying asset price for lookback options. However, for floating strike lookback options, a single-state variable binomial tree method can be constructed. This paper is devoted to the convergence analysis of the single-state binomial tree methods both for discretely and continuously monitored American floating strike lookback options. We also investigate some properties of such options, including effects of expiration date, interest rate and dividend yield on options prices, properties of optimal exercise boundaries and so

Parallel Binomial American Option Pricing under Proportional Transaction Costs

We present a parallel algorithm that computes the ask and bid prices of an American option when proportional transaction costs apply to trading in the underlying asset. The algorithm computes the prices on recombining binomial trees, and is designed for modern multi-core processors. Although parallel option pricing has been well studied, none of the existing approaches takes transaction costs into consideration. The algorithm that we propose partitions a binomial tree into blocks. In any round of computation a block is further partitioned into regions which are assigned to distinct processors. To minimise load imbalance the assignment of nodes to processors is dynamically adjusted before each new round starts. Synchronisation is required both within a round and between two successive rounds. The parallel speedup of the algorithm is proportional to the number of processors used. The parallel algorithm was implemented in C/C++ via POSIX Threads, and was tested on a machine with 8 processors. In the pricing of an American put option, the parallel speedup against an efficient sequential implementation was 5.26 using 8 processors and 1500 time steps, achieving a parallel efficiency of 65.75%.

The Barone-Adesi Whaley Formula to Price American Options Revisited

This paper presents a method to solve the American option pricing problem in the Black Scholes framework that generalizes the Barone-Adesi, Whaley method [1]. An auxiliary parameter is introduced in the American option pricing problem. Power series expansions in this parameter of the option price and of the corresponding free boundary are derived. These series expansions have the Baroni-Adesi, Whaley solution of the American option pricing problem as zero-th order term. The coefficients of the option price series are explicit formulae. The partial sums of the free boundary series are determined solving numerically nonlinear equations that depend from the time variable as a parameter. Numerical experiments suggest that the series expansions derived are convergent. The evaluation of the truncated series expansions on a grid of values of the independent variables is easily parallelizable. The cost of computing the n-th order truncated series expansions is approximately proportional to n as n goes to infinity. The results obtained on a set of test problems with the first and second order approximations deduced from the previous series expansions outperform in accuracy and/or in computational cost the results obtained with several alternative methods to solve the American option pricing problem [1]-[3]. For example when we consider options with maturity time between three and ten years and positive cost of carrying parameter (i.e. when the continuous dividend yield is smaller than the risk free interest rate) the second order approximation of the free boundary obtained truncating the series expansions improves substantially the Barone-Adesi, Whaley free boundary [1]. The website: http://www.econ.univpm.it/recchioni/finance/w20 contains material including animations, an interactive application and an app that helps the understanding of the paper. A general reference to the work of the authors and of their coauthors in mathematical finance is the website: http://www.econ.univpm.it/recchioni/finance.

L^∞-Asymptotic Behavior of the Variational Inequality Related to American Options Problem

We study the approximation of variational inequality related to American options problem. A simple proof to asymptotic behavior is also given using the theta time scheme combined with a finite element spatial approximation in uniform norm, which enables us to locate free boundary in practice.

Valuation of Asian American Option Using a Modified Path Simulation Method

In this paper, we use a modified path simulation method for valuation of Asian American Options. This method is a modification of the path simulation model proposed by Tiley. We assume that the behavior of the log return of the underlying assets follows the Variance Gamma (VG) process, since its distribution is heavy tail and leptokurtic. We provide sensitivity analysis of this method and compare the obtained prices to Asian European option prices.

New Method for American Options Pricing

A new method using nonlinear regression to approximate the option price based on approximate dynamic programming is proposed. As a result a representation of the American option price is obtained as a solution to the dual minimization problem. In addition, an available Q-value iteration algorithm in practice is given.

Valuation of European and American Options under Variance Gamma Process

Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) is widely used to model the asset price dynamics. Option price models such as the Black-Sholes and the binomial tree models rely on the assumption that the underlying asset price dynamics follow the GBM. Modeling the asset price dynamics by using the GBM implies that the log return of assets at particular time is normally distributed. Many studies on real data in the markets showed that the GBM fails to capture the characteristic features of asset price dynamics that exhibit heavy tails and excess kurtosis. In our study, a class of Levy process, which is called a variance gamma (VG) process, performs much better than GBM model for modeling the dynamics of those stock indices. However, valuation of financial instruments, e.g. options, under the VG process has not been well developed. Here, we propose a new approach to the valuation of European option. It is based on the conditional distribution of the VG process. We also apply the path simulation model to value American options by assuming the underlying asset log return follow the VG process. Such a model is similar with that proposed by Tiley [1]. Simulation study shows that the proposed method performs well in term of the option price.

Pricing American Options Using Transition Probabilities: A Dynamical Systems Approach

We give a new way to price American options by using Samuelson’s formula. We first obtain the option price corresponding to a European option at time t, weighing it by the probability that the underlying asset takes the value S at time t. We then use Samuelson’s formula with this factor which is given by the solution of the Fokker-Planck (Kolmogorov) equation for the transition probability density. The main advantage of this approach is that we can systematically introduce the effect of macroeconomic factors. If a macroeconomic framework is given by a dynamical system in the form of a set of ordinary differential equations we only have to solve a partial differential equation for the transition probability density. In this context, we verify, for the sake of consistency, that this formula coincides with the Black-Scholes model and compare several numerical implementations.

An ETD Method for American Options under the Heston Model

A numerical method for American options pricing on assets under the Heston stochastic volatility model is developed.A preliminary transformation is applied to remove the mixed derivative term avoiding known numerical drawbacks and reducing computational costs.Free boundary is treated by the penalty method.Transformed nonlinear partial differential equation is solved numerically by using the method of lines.For full discretization the exponential time differencing method is used.Numerical analysis establishes the stability and positivity of the proposed method.The numerical convergence behaviour and effectiveness are investigated in extensive numerical experiments.

Fractal Nonstandard American Option Pricing Model

The empirical study shows that the return rate of the stock price has a long memory, which can be described by fractal Brown motion. The fact that fractal Brown motion does not have the characteristics of Markov makes the American option value depends on the price change path of the underlying asset. And the ordinary American option pricing model underestimates the American option value. In order to fully reflect the long memory of the underlying asset return rates, we propose fractal American option pricing model, fractal Bermuda option pricing model, and a fractal combination of American option pricing model. Fractal American option value is greater than the ordinary American option value.

A unique solution to a semilinear Black-Scholes partial differential equation for valuing multi-assets of American options

In this paper, by using the optimal stopping theory, the semilinear Black-Scholes partial differential equation （PDE） was invesigated in a fixed domain for valuing two assets of American （call-max/put-min） options. From the viscosity solution of a PDE, a unique viscosity solution was obtained for the semilinear Black-Scholes PDE.

Early exercise premium method for pricing American options under the J-model

Background:This study develops a new model called J-am for pricing American options and for determining the related early exercise boundary(EEB).This model is based on a closed-form solution J-formula for pricing European options,defined in the study by Jerbi(Quantitative Finance,15:2041-2052,2015).The J-am pricing formula is a solution of the Black&Scholes(BS)PDE with an additional function called f as a second member and with limit conditions adapted to the American option context.The aforesaid function f represents the cash flows resulting from an early exercise of the option.Methods:This study develops the theoretical formulas of the early exercise premium value related to three American option pricing models called J-am,BS-am,and Heston-am models.These three models are based on the J-formula by Jerbi(Quantitative Finance,15:2041-2052,2015),BS model,and Heston(Rev Financ Stud,6:327-343,1993)model,respectively.This study performs a general algorithm leading to the EEB and to the American option price for the three models.Results:After implementing the algorithms,we compare the three aforesaid models in terms of pricing and the EEB curve.In particular,we examine the equivalence between J-am and Heston-am as an extension of the equivalence studied by Jerbi(Quantitative Finance,15:2041-2052,2015).This equivalence is interesting since it can reduce a bi-dimensional model to an equivalent uni-dimensional model.Conclusions:We deduce that our model J-am exactly fits the Heston-am one for certain parameters values to be optimized and that all the theoretical results conform with the empirical studies.The required CPU time to compute the solution is significantly less in the case of the J-am model compared with to the Heston-am model.

Early exercise European option and early termination American option pricing models

The maximum relative error between continuous-time American option pricing model and binomial tree model is very small. In order to improve the European and American options in trade course, the thesis tried to build early exercise European option and early termination American option pricing models. Firstly, the authors reviewed the characteristics of American option and European option, then there was compares between them. Base on continuous-time American option pricing model, this research analyzed the value of these options.

Pricing Perpetual American Put Option in theMixed Fractional Brownian Motion

Under the assumption of the underlying asset is driven by the mixed fractional Brownian motion, we obtain the mixed fractionalBlack-Scholes partial differential equation by fractional Ito formula, and the pricing formula of perpetual American put option bythis partial differential equation theory.

Pricing American Options using the Malliavin Calculus

In this paper we elaborate a general expression of the conditional expectation related to pricing problem of the American options using the Malliavin derivative （without localization）. This work is a generalization of paper of Bally et al. （2005） [ 1 ] for the one dimensional case. Basing on the density function of the asset price, Bally and al. used the Malliavin calculus to evaluate the conditional expectation related to pricing American option problem, but in our work we use the Malliavin derivative to resolve the previous problem.

Offering English and American Literature Optional Courses to Enhance Humanistic Qualities of Students in Universities of Science and Technology

Recently, the universities of science and technology pay more attention to their own specialized subjects and tak, little notice of humanities. This phenomenon results in the weakness of college students＇ humanistic qualities, Therefore, cultivating and enhancing students＇ humanistic qualities in universities of science and technolog become the main issues that are viewed intensively by the current educational circles. This paper analyzes th, current situation of English and American literature optional courses in universities of science and technolog3, gives the importance of offering the optional courses of English and American literature, and analyzes the activ roles and important significance of optional courses of English and American literature in the course of humanisti qualities of students in universities of science and technology. This paper also gives the necessities and ne~ methods of giving the optional courses of English and American literature under the circumstances of colleg, English teaching reform

An efficient algorithm for Bermudan barrier option pricing

An efficient option pricing method based on Fourier-cosine expansions was presented by Fang and Oosterlee for European options in 2008, and later, this method was also used by them to price early-exercise options and barrier options respectively, in 2009. In this paper, this method is applied to price discretely American barrier options in which the monitored dates are many times more than the exercise dates. The corresponding algorithm is presented to practical option pricing. Numerical experiments show that this algorithm works very well and efficiently for different exponential Levy asset models.

美式蝶形期权期望的半参数界

研究美式蝶形期权均值的半参数界估计问题.在给定风险资产(股票)价格的某些矩信息条件下,通过对偶方法得到美式蝶形期权的上、下矩界;利用对偶原理、测度变换和控制函数分别估计了单峰和双峰情形下美式蝶形期权期望的上界.

美国高校“考试可选运动”的原因分析

新冠病毒感染疫情暴发后,美国大学纷纷取消标准化考试(学术能力考试和美国大学入学考试)成绩作为入学条件,在高等教育界掀起一波颇为壮观的“考试可选运动”。通过跟踪调查美国主流媒体对这场运动的报道,深入了解美国社会对标准化考试所持的争议态度,发现疫情只是大学放弃标准化考试的一个诱因,而大学决策的内生动力、标准化考试对学业成就的预测性、标准化考试公平性才是主要原因。标准化考试有“特权代理”之嫌,其公平性受到质疑,这折射出美国高等教育,乃至美国社会面临的深层问题。