This paper proposes a moment-matching method for approximating vector autoregressions by finite-state Markov chains. The Markov chain is constructed by targeting the conditional moments of the underlying continuous process. The proposed method is more robust to the number of discrete values and...

We put forward a Merton-type multi-factor portfolio model for assessing banks’ contributions to systemic risk. This model accounts for the major drivers of banks’ systemic relevance: size, default risk and correlation of banks’ assets as a proxy for interconnectedness. We measure systemic...

This paper examines the role of peer effects in smoking behavior using data of middle and high school students in the United States. I present a random utility model that explicitly incorporates complementarity between individual and peer smokings. A Markov process model of smoking interactions...

An enhanced option pricing framework that makes use of both continuous and discontinuous time paths based on a geometric Brownian motion and Poisson-driven jump processes respectively is performed in order to better fit with real-observed stock price paths while maintaining the analytical...

The implied volatility surface (IVS) is a fundamental building block in computational finance. We provide a survey of methodologies for constructing such surfaces. We also discuss various topics which can influence the successful construction of IVS in practice: arbitrage-free conditions in both...

Local volatility models are widely used to manage many exotic options in a way consistent with available market prices of vanilla options. Once calibrated, a local volatility grid can be used in numerical methods such as PDE or Monte Carlo to price and hedge exotic options consistently with...

The purpose of this paper is introducing rigorous methods and formulas for bilateral counterparty risk credit valuation adjustments (CVA's) on interest-rate portfolios. In doing so, we summarize the general arbitrage-free valuation framework for counterparty risk adjustments in presence of...

We present an embarrassingly simple method for supervised learning of SABR model's European option price function based on lookup table or rote machine learning. Performance in time domain is comparable to generally used analytic approximations utilized in financial industry. However, unlike the...

Using equations that arise in quantum mechanics, this paper describes a way to more accurately and efficiently represent non-Gaussian return distributions than the standard method of invoking skewness and kurtosis. Then, it provides a new single intuitive number, defined here as the “crash...