In this work we consider three problems of the standard market approach to pricing of credit index options: the definition of the index spread is not valid in general, the usually considered payoff leads to a pricing which is not always defined, and the candidate numeraire one would use to...

Reducing the number of factors in a model by reducing the rank of a correlation matrix is a problem that often arises in finance, for instance in pricing interest rate derivatives with Libor market models. A simple iterative algorithm for correlation rank reduction is introduced, the eigenvalue...

In this paper we develop structural first passage models (AT1P and SBTV) with time-varying volatility and characterized by high tractability, moving from the original work of Brigo and Tarenghi (2004, 2005) [19] [20] and Brigo and Morini (2006)[15]. The models can be calibrated exactly to credit...

With the rapid development of the credit derivatives market, efficient pricing of default has become an extremely important issue for the credit risk management of banks and other investors. We consider here some of the opportunities and problems that the development of this market poses to...

We compare two different bilateral counterparty valuation adjustment (BVA) formulas. The first formula is an approximation and is based on subtracting the two unilateral Credit Valuation Adjustment (CVA)'s formulas as seen from the two different parties in the transaction. This formula is only a...

In the absence of a universally accepted procedure for the credit valuation adjustment (CVA) calculation, we compare a number of different bilateral counterparty valuation adjustment (BVA) formulas. First we investigate the impact of the choice of the closeout convention used in the formulas....

We analyze the practical consequences of the bilateral counterparty risk adjustment. We point out that past literature assumes that, at the moment of the first default, a risk-free closeout amount will be used. We argue that the legal (ISDA) documentation suggests in many points that a...

Intrinsically trustworthy agents never cheat. A society's willingness to trust and the quality of its institutions have their origins in the intrinsic trustworthiness of its citizens. Trustworthiness is the basis for maximizing output in economic exchange and in explaining differences in...

The instrumental variables strategy is commonly employed in empirical research. For correct inference using this econometric technique, the instruments must be perfectly exogenous and relevant. In fact, the standard t-ratio test statistic used in this context yields unreliable and often...