Using a data set of vanilla options on the major indexes we investigate the calibration properties of several multifactor stochastic volatility models by adopting the Fast Fourier Transform as the pricing methodology. We study the impact of the penalizing function on the calibration performance...

Most of the existing pricing models of variance derivative products assume continuous sampling of the realized variance processes, though actual contractual specifications compute the realized variance based on sampling at discrete times. We present a general analytic approach for pricing...

We present a flexible approach for the valuation of interest rate derivatives based on Affine Processes. We extend the methodology proposed in Keller-Ressel et al. (2009) by changing the choice of the state space. We provide semi-closed-form solutions for the pricing of caps and floors. We then...

We consider the saddlepoint approximation methods for pricing derivatives whose payoffs depend on the discrete realized variance of the underlying price process of a risky asset. Most of the earlier pricing models of variance products and volatility derivatives use the quadratic variation...

We develop efficient fast Fourier transform algorithms for pricing and hedging discretely sampled variance products and volatility derivatives under additive processes (time-inhomogeneous L evy processes). Our numerical algorithms are non-trivial versions of the Fourier space time stepping...

We introduce a novel multi-factor Heston-based stochastic volatility model, which is able to reproduce consistently typical multi-dimensional FX vanilla markets, while retaining the (semi)-analytical tractability typical of affine models and relying on a reasonable number of parameters. A...

Convexity correction arises when one computes the expected value of an interest rate index under a probability measure other than its own natural martingale measure. As a typical example, the natural martingale measure of the swap rate is the swap measure with annuity as the numeraire. However,...

This review article summarizes the applications of the forward shooting grid method to pricing of various types of strongly path dependent options. The forward shooting grid approach is characterized by augmenting an auxiliary state vector at each node in the usual lattice tree, which serves to...

This paper presents the willow tree algorithms for pricing variable annuities with Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefits (GMWB), where the underlying fund dynamics evolve under the Merton jump-diffusion process or constant-elasticity-of-variance (CEV) process. The GMWB rider gives the...

We analyze the VIX futures market with a focus on the exchange-traded noteswritten on such contracts, in particular we investigate the VXX notes tracking theshort-end part of the futures term structure. Inspired by recent developments incommodity smile modelling, we present a multi-factor...