Recovering Probabilistic Information from Options Prices and the Underlying

29 Pages Posted: 25 Mar 2007

See all articles by Bruce Mizrach

Bruce Mizrach

Rutgers University, Department of Economics

Date Written: February 10, 2008

Abstract

This paper examines a variety of methods for extracting implied probability distributions from option prices and the underlying. The paper first explores non-parametric procedures for reconstructing densities directly from options market data. I then consider local volatility functions, both through implied volatility trees and volatility interpolation. I then turn to alternative specifications of the stochastic process for the underlying. I estimate a mixture of log normals model, apply it to exchange rate data, and illustrate how to conduct forecast comparisons. I finally turn to the estimation of jump risk by extracting bipower variation.

Keywords: options, implied probability densities, volatility smile, jump risk, bipower variation

JEL Classification: G12, G14, F31

Suggested Citation

Mizrach, Bruce, Recovering Probabilistic Information from Options Prices and the Underlying (February 10, 2008). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=973260 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.973260

Bruce Mizrach (Contact Author)

Rutgers University, Department of Economics ( email )

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