This study proposes an approximation of European option prices under arbitrary diffusion processes of the spot price. The key is to approximate the characteristic function of the log spot price process as the solution to ordinary differential equations. The option price is then obtained by the...

We examine by numerical experiments the accuracy of an analytical approximation for the nonlinear term structure of interest rates, which is obtained by applying the local linear approximation to a generally specified process of the short rate. Under various short-rate models, we compare...

We propose an analytical approximation of the term structure of interest rates under general diffusion processes of the short-rate and state variables. A method of approximating conditional moments as the solution to a system of ordinary differential equations is applied to the pricing of bonds....

Nonlinear drift models of the short-rate are estimated using data on the short-end of the term structure, where the cross-sectional relation is obtained by an analytical approximation. We find that (i) nonlinear physical drift is not implied unless it is strongly affected by cross-sectional...

We propose an analytical approximation of the term structure of interest rates under general diffusion processes of the short-rate and state variables. A method of approximating conditional moments as the solution to a system of ordinary differential equations is applied to the pricing of bonds....

This paper attempts to predict the volatility of interest rates through dynamic term structure models. For this attempt, the models are improved, based on the three-factor Gaussian model, to have level-dependent volatilities supported by data. The empirical results show that the predictive power...

Nonlinear drift models of the short rate are estimated using data on the short end of the term structure, where the cross-sectional relation is obtained by an analytical approximation. The findings reveal that (i) nonlinear physical drift is not implied unless it is strongly affected by...