IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/1804.03290.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A derivation of the Black-Scholes option pricing model using a central limit theorem argument

Author

Listed:
  • Rajeshwari Majumdar
  • Phanuel Mariano
  • Lowen Peng
  • Anthony Sisti

Abstract

The Black-Scholes model (sometimes known as the Black-Scholes-Merton model) gives a theoretical estimate for the price of European options. The price evolution under this model is described by the Black-Scholes formula, one of the most well-known formulas in mathematical finance. For their discovery, Merton and Scholes have been awarded the 1997 Nobel prize in Economics. The standard method of deriving the Black-Scholes European call option pricing formula involves stochastic differential equations. This approach is out of reach for most students learning the model for the first time. We provide an alternate derivation using the Lindeberg-Feller central limit theorem under suitable assumptions. Our approach is elementary and can be understood by undergraduates taking a standard undergraduate course in probability.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajeshwari Majumdar & Phanuel Mariano & Lowen Peng & Anthony Sisti, 2018. "A derivation of the Black-Scholes option pricing model using a central limit theorem argument," Papers 1804.03290, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2018.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1804.03290
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1804.03290
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Robert C. Merton, 2005. "Theory of rational option pricing," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Sudipto Bhattacharya & George M Constantinides (ed.), Theory Of Valuation, chapter 8, pages 229-288, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Black, Fischer & Scholes, Myron S, 1973. "The Pricing of Options and Corporate Liabilities," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 81(3), pages 637-654, May-June.
    3. Ross,Sheldon M., 2011. "An Elementary Introduction to Mathematical Finance," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521192538, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Chang & Chang, Chuo, 2021. "Combination of transition probability distribution and stable Lorentz distribution in stock markets," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 565(C).
    2. Kau, James B. & Keenan, Donald C., 1999. "Patterns of rational default," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 765-785, November.
    3. Carol Alexandra & Leonardo M. Nogueira, 2005. "Optimal Hedging and Scale Inavriance: A Taxonomy of Option Pricing Models," ICMA Centre Discussion Papers in Finance icma-dp2005-10, Henley Business School, University of Reading, revised Nov 2005.
    4. Weihan Li & Jin E. Zhang & Xinfeng Ruan & Pakorn Aschakulporn, 2024. "An empirical study on the early exercise premium of American options: Evidence from OEX and XEO options," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(7), pages 1117-1153, July.
    5. Jun, Doobae & Ku, Hyejin, 2015. "Static hedging of chained-type barrier options," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 317-327.
    6. Thomas Kokholm & Martin Stisen, 2015. "Joint pricing of VIX and SPX options with stochastic volatility and jump models," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(1), pages 27-48, January.
    7. Vorst, A. C. F., 1988. "Option Pricing And Stochastic Processes," Econometric Institute Archives 272366, Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    8. Antoine Jacquier & Patrick Roome, 2015. "Black-Scholes in a CEV random environment," Papers 1503.08082, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2017.
    9. Boyarchenko, Svetlana & Levendorskii[caron], Sergei, 2007. "Optimal stopping made easy," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 201-217, February.
    10. Robert C. Merton, 2006. "Paul Samuelson and Financial Economics," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 50(2), pages 9-31, October.
    11. Ammann, Manuel & Kind, Axel & Wilde, Christian, 2003. "Are convertible bonds underpriced? An analysis of the French market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 635-653, April.
    12. Sergio Zúñiga, 1999. "Modelos de Tasas de Interés en Chile: Una Revisión," Latin American Journal of Economics-formerly Cuadernos de Economía, Instituto de Economía. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile., vol. 36(108), pages 875-893.
    13. Zhijian (James) Huang & Yuchen Luo, 2016. "Revisiting Structural Modeling of Credit Risk—Evidence from the Credit Default Swap (CDS) Market," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-20, May.
    14. José Martins & Rui Cunha Marques & Carlos Oliveira Cruz & Álvaro Fonseca, 2017. "Flexibility in planning and development of a container terminal: an application of an American-style call option," Transportation Planning and Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(7), pages 828-840, October.
    15. Marcelo F. Perillo, 2021. "Valuación de Títulos de Deuda Indexados al Comportamiento de un Índice Accionario: Un Modelo sin Riesgo de Crédito," CEMA Working Papers: Serie Documentos de Trabajo. 784, Universidad del CEMA.
    16. Kartono, Agus & Solekha, Siti & Sumaryada, Tony & Irmansyah,, 2021. "Foreign currency exchange rate prediction using non-linear Schrödinger equations with economic fundamental parameters," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    17. Jochen Bigus, 2002. "Investitionsanreize, Koalitionsverhalten und Gläubigerkonflikte," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 317-342, June.
    18. Kim, Amy M. & Li, Huanan, 2020. "Incorporating the impacts of climate change in transportation infrastructure decision models," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 271-287.
    19. René Garcia & Richard Luger & Eric Renault, 2000. "Asymmetric Smiles, Leverage Effects and Structural Parameters," Working Papers 2000-57, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    20. Wang, Jun & Liang, Jin-Rong & Lv, Long-Jin & Qiu, Wei-Yuan & Ren, Fu-Yao, 2012. "Continuous time Black–Scholes equation with transaction costs in subdiffusive fractional Brownian motion regime," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(3), pages 750-759.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1804.03290. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.