We investigate the effect of including variance derivatives as calibration and hedging instruments for pricing and hedging exotic structures. This is studied empirically using market data for SPX and VIX derivatives applied in a stochastic volatility jump diffusion model

This paper presents a new transform-based approach for path-independent lattice construction for pricing American options under low-dimensional stochastic volatility models. We derive multidimensional transforms which allow us to construct efficient path-independent lattices for virtually all...

Speculators who wish to bet on higher future volatility often purchase options to “go long volatility.” Should investors who buy options expect to profit when realized volatility increases? If so, under what conditions? To answer these questions, we conduct an analysis of the relationship...

We explore the use of an option selling overlay to improve portfolio rebalancing. Within a multi-asset class portfolio, portfolio weights deviate from targets as asset values fluctuate. Investors typically use a rebalancing process to bring portfolio weights back to their desired strategic...

This study examines the relationships between excess corporate cash holding and equity option market liquidity over the period from Jan 3, 2005 to Dec 31, 2019. We show that the level of cash reserve in excess of what can be captured by firm characteristics significantly explains the liquidity...

Comparisons are made of the CBOE skew index with those derived from parametric skews of bilateral gamma models and from the differentiation of option implied characteristic exponents. Discrepancies may be attributed to strike discretization in evaluating prices of powered returns. The remedy...

The problem studied is the pricing of options on the CBOE Skew index. The option pricing theory developed seeks to hedge the risk using positions in the market for options on a related asset and the option is then priced at the cost of this hedge. The theory is applied to pricing VIX options...

Nonlinear martingale theory is used to form lower and upper price processes straddling a martingale. The martingale return is then modeled in terms of risk charges associated with the returns on the straddling lower and upper processes. The move to physically expected returns is made via 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...

Long vanilla call option positions have unlimited profit potential and limited loss potential, and the opposite is true for short call option positions. Long vanilla puts do not have unlimited profit potential but, for commonly traded strikes, the maximum profit of a long put will be far greater...