Paper 4, Section II, K

Stochastic Financial Models
Part II, 2020

(i) What does it mean to say that (St0,St)0tT\left(S_{t}^{0}, S_{t}\right)_{0 \leqslant t \leqslant T} is a Black-Scholes model with interest rate rr, drift μ\mu and volatility σ\sigma ?

(ii) Write down the Black-Scholes pricing formula for the time- 0 value V0V_{0} of a time- TT contingent claim CC.

(iii) Show that if CC is a European call of strike KK and maturity TT then

V0S0erTKV_{0} \geqslant S_{0}-e^{-r T} K

(iv) For the European call, derive the Black-Scholes pricing formula

V0=S0Φ(d+)erTKΦ(d)V_{0}=S_{0} \Phi\left(d^{+}\right)-e^{-r T} K \Phi\left(d^{-}\right)

where Φ\Phi is the standard normal distribution function and d+d^{+}and dd^{-}are to be determined.

(v) Fix t(0,T)t \in(0, T) and consider a modified contract which gives the investor the right but not the obligation to buy one unit of the risky asset at price KK, either at time tt or time TT but not both, where the choice of exercise time is to be made by the investor at time tt. Determine whether the investor should exercise the contract at time tt.