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Accouting for Biases in Black-Scholes

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Listed:
  • David Backus

    (New York University)

  • Silverio Foresi

    (Goldman Sachs)

  • Liuren Wu

    (Fordham University)

Abstract

Prices of currency options commonly differ from the Black-Scholes formula along two dimensions: implied volatilities vary by strike price (volatility smiles) and maturity (implied volatility of at­the­money options increases, on average, with maturity). We account for both using Gram­Charlier expansions to approximate the conditional distribution of the logarithm of the price of the underlying security. In this setting, volatility is approximately a quadratic function of moneyness, a result we use to infer skewness and kurtosis from volatility smiles. Evidence suggests that both kurtosis in currency prices and biases in Black­Scholes option prices decline with maturity.

Suggested Citation

  • David Backus & Silverio Foresi & Liuren Wu, 2002. "Accouting for Biases in Black-Scholes," Finance 0207008, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0207008
    Note: Type of Document - postscript; prepared on MikTex; to print on postscript; pages: 41 ; figures: included. produced via dvips
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Torben G. Andersen & Tim Bollerslev & Francis X. Diebold & Paul Labys, 1999. "The Distribution of Exchange Rate Volatility," New York University, Leonard N. Stern School Finance Department Working Paper Seires 99-059, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business-.
    2. Peter Carr & Liuren Wu, 2003. "The Finite Moment Log Stable Process and Option Pricing," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(2), pages 753-777, April.
    3. Gabriele Fiorentini & Angel León & Gonzalo Rubio, "undated". "Short-term options with stochastic volatility: Estimation and empirical performance," Studies on the Spanish Economy 02, FEDEA.
    4. Alessandro Beber & Luca Erzegovesi, 1999. "Distribuzioni di probabilità implicite nei prezzi delle opzioni," Alea Tech Reports 008, Department of Computer and Management Sciences, University of Trento, Italy, revised 14 Jun 2008.
    5. Liuren Wu, 2006. "Dampened Power Law: Reconciling the Tail Behavior of Financial Security Returns," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(3), pages 1445-1474, May.
    6. Beber, Alessandro & Brandt, Michael W., 2006. "The effect of macroeconomic news on beliefs and preferences: Evidence from the options market," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(8), pages 1997-2039, November.
    7. Torben G. Andersen & Luca Benzoni & Jesper Lund, 2002. "An Empirical Investigation of Continuous‐Time Equity Return Models," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(3), pages 1239-1284, June.
    8. David K. Backus & Silverio Foresi & Chris Telmer, "undated". "Discrete time models of bond pricing," GSIA Working Papers 251, Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business.
    9. Eva Ferreira & Mónica Gago & Angel León & Gonzalo Rubio, 2005. "An empirical comparison of the performance of alternative option pricing models," Investigaciones Economicas, Fundación SEPI, vol. 29(3), pages 483-523, September.
    10. Peter Christoffersen & Kris Jacobs & Gregory Vainberg, 2007. "Forward-Looking Betas," CREATES Research Papers 2007-39, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    11. Peter Christoffersen & Silvia Gonçalves, 2004. "Estimation Risk in Financial Risk Management," CIRANO Working Papers 2004s-15, CIRANO.
    12. Stefano Galluccio & Yann Le Cam, 2005. "Implied Calibration of Stochastic Volatility Jump Diffusion Models," Finance 0510028, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Benjamin Miranda Tabak & Sandro Canesso de Andrade & Eui Jung Chang, 2004. "Tracking Brazilian Exchange Rate Volatility," Econometric Society 2004 Far Eastern Meetings 487, Econometric Society.
    14. Gabriel Drimus, 2010. "A forward started jump-diffusion model and pricing of cliquet style exotics," Review of Derivatives Research, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 125-140, July.
    15. Li, Minqiang, 2008. "Price Deviations of S&P 500 Index Options from the Black-Scholes Formula Follow a Simple Pattern," MPRA Paper 11530, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    currency options; skewness and kurtosis; Gram-Charlier expansions; implied volatility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General

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