234 10 Exotic Options with Stochastic Volatilities
constant volatility, we evaluate the benchmark values of the knock-out options using
Merton’s formula with the expected average variance as given in (3.37). The price
differences between the model values and the benchmarks are denoted by PD.In
order to understand the following tables better, we briefly discuss a special feature
associated with knock-out options on futures: If H = K F
0
, we always have the call
prices equal to e
−rT
(F
0
−K), regardless of how the volatilities are specified. This
feature can be explained as follows: Since the barrier H is set to be K, the options
can not gain a premium for the case F
T
(t) < K,0 t T. Furthermore, F
T
(t) is
a martingale, therefore such particular options have no time value and their values
are simply the discounted positive difference between the current futures price F
0
and the strike price K. Consequently, the values of PD on the diagonal from Panel
A to Panel C are zero. Another feature of knock-out options is that the options are
worthless if H = F
0
. This is apparent regardless of whether the underlying assets are
futures or equity. Thus, both call prices and the PD in the last column in panels A,
B and C are equal to zero.
Some observations are summarized as follows: Firstly, all exact theoretical values
of the OTM knock-out options (H < K) are greater than the corresponding bench-
mark values, and we have PD > 0. At the same time, the exact theoretical values and
the corresponding benchmark for the ITM knock-out options perform an opposite
relation with PD < 0. This finding is valid for all panels in Table 3.1 and indepen-
dent of the values of
θ
. Thus, Merton’s solution seems to undervalue (overvalue)
the OTM (ITM) knock-out options on futures. Secondly, the more the spot volatility
differs from its long-run mean
θ
, the larger the magnitude of the undervaluation and
overvaluation becomes. In Panel B and Panel C, we can see that the mispricing due
to constant volatility is significant. If we calculate the call prices by simply using
spot volatility, the price biases are much more remarkable. To save space, we do
not list these values here. Moreover, the price biases PD do not display a simple in-
creasing or decreasing relationship with both H and K. The pattern of the mispricing
seems to be hump-shaped. Finally, by comparing the data across panels, we reveal
that a higher long-run mean
θ
leads to higher prices of the OTM knock-out options
and lower prices of the ITM knock-out options. Similarly, a lower long-run mean
θ
leads to lower prices of the OTM knock-out options and higher prices of the ITM
knock-out options.
In Table (10.2), we give the theoretical values of the knock-out options with the
squared volatility v(t)
2
(variance) as a square root process. To calculate a similar
benchmark as in Table (10.1), the expected average variance has to be evaluated and
is given by
AV = E
1
T
T
0
v(t)
2
dt
=
1
κ
T
(v
2
−
θ
)(1 −e
−
κ
T
)+
θ
. (10.33)
As expected, these two stochastic volatility models perform the almost identical
features, as shown in Table (10.2). All findings in Table (10.1) are confirmed again