- Lecturer: Alvaro Cartea
General Prerequisites:
B8.1 Probability, Measure and Martingales (previously named Martingales Through Measure Theory) would be good background. Part A Probability is a prerequisite. Part A Integration is also good background, though not a prerequisite.
Course Term: Hilary
Course Lecture Information: 16 lectures
Course Weight: 1
Course Level: H
Assessment Type: Written Examination
Course Overview:
The course aims to introduce students to derivative security valuation in financial markets. At the end of the course the student should be able to formulate a model for an asset price and then determine the prices of a range of derivatives based on the underlying asset using arbitrage free pricing ideas.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will have a familiarity with the mathematics behind the models and analytical tools used in Mathematical Finance. This includes being able to formulate a model for an asset price and then determining the prices of a range of derivatives based on the underlying asset using arbitrage free pricing ideas.
Course Synopsis:
- Discrete-time models (binomial trees) and arbitrage in finance
- Hedging in continuous times and the Black-Scholes model
- European-style options and
- Introduction to Brownian motion and Ito's Lemma
- American-style options, PDEs and the Feynman-Kac formula
- Perpetual and other exotic options
- Implied volatility: smiles and smirks
- The Merton Jump-Diffusion model and option prices
- Consumption-based pricing
- Limit order books and optimal execution models