– Due date and time: October 15, 2017 by 17:00.
– Please include a cover page containing only the student numbers of each member in your group.
Cover page does not contribute to the total number of pages for the assignment.
– Assignments must be typed and submitted via Turnitin through Canvas.
– Penalty of 10% per calendar day, or part thereof, will apply to late submissions.
– An Excel spreadsheet, normal_random.xlsx, has be uploaded to Canvas and contains 8,191 × 8
array of standard normal random variates required for the assignment.
– Do not attach large printouts of your Excel spreadsheet to the assignment, and only include
values specifically requested.
This assignment is concerned with the pricing of a spread range accrual on two correlated assets
Xt and Yt under the Black-Scholes model.
Assume that the prices, Xt and Yt, of a risky assets at time t satisfy the equations
dXt = rXtdt + σXXtdwX
t
, (1)
dYt = rYtdt + σY YtdwY
t
, (2)
under the risk-neutral measure Q, where w
X
t and w
Y
t are standard Q-Wiener process with
cor(dwX
t
, dwY
t
) = ρ dt,
and r, σX, σ, ρ, X0, and Y0 are constants. Moreover, assume that the market is complete.
Let 0 = t0 < t1 < t2 < · · · < tn be a sequence of times and consider a European derivative with
payoff at time T of
hT = R
Xn
i=1
γi1
L<Xti−Yti<U , (3)
where 0 < R ∈ R, tn ≤ T, L < U ∈ R, and γi
is the year fraction for the interval [ti−1, ti
]. It
is known that Xt and Yt are lognormal random variables, and that the difference of lognormal
random variables is not lognormal. In this assignment we will value the derivative using normal
approximation for Xti − Yti
, and alternatively by using Monte Carlo simulation.
2. In this question, assume that X0 = 10.25 Y0 = 10, σX = 16%, σY = 18%, ρ = 0.6, r = 4%,
R = 6%, L = −0.25, U = 0.25, ti = 0.25i and γi = 0.25 for 1 ≤ i ≤ 4, and T = 1. [16 marks]
(a) For each i ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4}, compute the mean and the variance of Xti−Yti using the expressions
obtained in Question 1, and fill in the second and third columns of the following table,
rounding each value to 4 decimal places. [8 marks]
i E
Q [Xti − Yti
] varQ [Xti − Yti
] Q [Xti − Yti < L] Q [Xti − Yti < U]
1 – – – –
2 – – – –
3 – – – –
4 – – – –
(b) Using the values of E
Q [Xti − Yti
] and varQ [Xti − Yti
] computed in part (a), and making
the assumption that Xti − Yti
is normally distributed, compute Q[Xti − Yti < L] and
Q[Xti − Yti < U], and fill in the fourth and fifth columns in the table given in part (a).
Explain how you computed the values, and round the values to 4 decimal places. [6 marks]
(c) Hence, or otherwise, compute the price of the derivative with payoff given by (3) under
the assumption that Xti − Yti
is normally distributed for 1 ≤ i ≤ 4. Round the price to 6
decimal places. [2 marks]
3. Using the parameters given in Question 2, and the standard normal random numbers contained
in the file normal_random.xlsx, simulate the prices of the two assets Xt and Yt, and compute the
price of the derivative with payoff given in (3) by following the steps below. In this question,
you should use simulation step size of ∆t = 0.25, and use the following equations to update the
log asset prices
xti+1 = xti +
r −
1
2
σ
2
X
∆t + σX
√
∆t ξ1,
yti+1 = yti +
r −
1
2
σ
2
Y
∆t + σY ρ
√
∆t ξ1 + σY
p
1 − ρ
2
√
∆t ξ2,
where ξ1 and ξ2 are pair of independent standard normal random numbers used to simulate
over a given step and path. [12 marks]
(a) Simulate the asset price paths as described above, and fill in the following table with the
values you obtaine
3
path ln X0.25 ln Y0.25 ln X0.5 ln Y0.5 ln X0.75 ln Y0.75 ln X1 ln Y1
2 – – – – – – – –
3 – – – – – – – –
4 – – – – – – – –
5 – – – – – – – –
Note that the required values are the asset prices and not the log-asset prices that you
simulate. For each path, use the first two normal random variates for the first step, next
two normal random variates for the next step, and so on, and round the values to 4 decimal
places. [6 marks]
(b) Using the simulated paths, compute the Monte Carlo price of the derivative with the payoff
given in (3). Give a very brief explanation of how you computed the price and round the
value to 6 decimal places. [3 marks]
(c) Provide two reasons for the difference you observe with the price obtained in Question 1,
and explain how you would be able to obtain a more accurate approximation to the correct
price. [3 marks]
4. Let qi = Q[L < Xti − Yti < U] for 1 ≤ i ≤ n, so that qi are the probabilities of observing
L < Xti − Yti < U under Q. Suppose that rather than being a payoff on a derivative, the
amount given in (3) is the interest paid per $1 invested. [7 marks]
(a) What should be the value of R so that a risk-neutral investor would be indifferent to
investing in this instrument and the risk free asset? Derive an expression for R in terms
of other variables. [3 marks]
(b) Using the parameter values given in Question 2, and using the normal approximation,
compute the corresponding value of R and round to 4 decimal places. [2 marks]
(c) Compute the simple annual interest rate equivalent to the continuously compounded rate
of r = 4%, and explain the difference between this rate and the value of R obtained in
part (b). In particular, explain why one is much larger than the other. [2 marks]
TO GET THIS OR ANY OTHER ASSIGNMENT DONE FOR YOU FROM SCRATCH, PLACE A NEW ORDER HERE
