We estimate post-jump volatility-decay risk premia as the predictable ‎difference between periods of high and low diffusive volatility. By ‎constructing straddle portfolios after positive and negative jumps occur, we ‎show that the gains that these hedged options' portfolios yield...

Volatility trading is in vogue. Launched in January 2009, exchange-traded products (ETPs) linked to the CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX) have enamored no small number of traders judging by the billions of dollars invested in these new products. Why exactly is unclear. The most popular VIX ETPs...

This study examines whether VIX futures prices are unbiased and efficient predictors of the VIX index. The particular empirical analysis differs from the usually applied tests in that it uses a panel estimation approach. Panel regression has several advantages as it offers more flexibility in...

This paper investigates the stock market reaction to the tone of central bank communication. We use textual analysis techniques to measure the tonality of the FOMC minutes’ text and show that a more optimistic tonality has a positive impact on stock returns. This positive effect is prevalent...

We introduce and evaluate the NOVIX - an implied volatility index for the Norwegian equity index OBX. NOVIX is created according to the VIX methodology. We compare the NOVIX to the German VDAX-NEW and the U.S. VIX and find that NOVIX has similar properties as these two indices. We also evaluate...

This paper documents the fact that in options markets, the (percentage) implied volatility bid-ask spread increases at an increasing rate as the option's maturity date approaches. To explain this stylized fact, this paper provides a market microstructure model for the bid-ask spread in options...

To what extent are futures prices interconnected across the maturity curve? Where in the term structure do price shocks originate, and which maturities do they reach? We propose a new approach, based on information theory, to study these cross-maturity linkages and the extent to which...

Recently, commodity index investing has come under attack. A Staff Report by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation (hereafter, the "subcommittee report") "…finds that there is significant and persuasive evidence to conclude that these commodity index traders, in the...

Using day-end pricing data from a comprehensive data base not readily available outside of China, an algorithm to trade near-the-money call option time spreads on China's SSE 50 ETF was developed and tested. Analysis of in-sample data, suggested profitable trading rules that, when applied to...

Near futures expiration days, market participants have a practical need to rollover positions to expirations at a later date. The most common form of market order for rolling over contracts is the calendar spread which dominates transaction volume. Despite this dominance, futures rollovers have...