We consider a very general diffusion model for asset prices which allows the description of stochastic and past-dependent volatilities. Since this model typically yields an incomplete market, we show that for the purpose of pricing options, a small investor should use the minimal equivalent...

This paper proposes a new explanation for the smile and skewness effects in implied volatilities. Starting from a microeconomic equilibrium approach, we develop a diffusion model for stock prices explicitly incorporating the technical demand induced by hedging strategies. This leads to a...