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Problem: The standard Black-Scholes framework cannot incorporate the volatility smiles usually observed in the markets. Instead, one must consider alternative stochastic volatility models such as the SABR. Little research about the suitability of the SABR model for Swedish market (swaption) data has been found. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to account for and to calibrate the SABR model for swaptions trading on the Swedish market. We intend to alter the calibration techniques and parameter values to examine which method is the most consistent with the market. Method: In MATLAB, we investigate the model using two different minimization techniques to estimate the model’s parameters. For both techniques, we also implement refinements of the original SABR model. Results and Conclusion: The quality of the fit relies heavily on the underlying data. For the data used, we find superior fit for many different swaption smiles. In addition, little discrepancy in the quality of the fit between methods employed is found. We conclude that estimating the α parameter from at-the-money volatility produces slightly smaller errors than using minimization techniques to estimate all parameters. Using refinement techniques marginally increase the quality of the fit.

The main aim of my final thesis is to familiar reader with different ways of measuring credit risk by means of particular structural models of credit risk. This issue has been already described by foreign authors. Though, neither Czech nor Slovak economists have been deeply involved in this topic so far. For this reason, I have decided to focus on those models and both describe them as well as put them into the practice. My final thesis gradually focus on individual detailed model description in each chapter in following sequence: Credit Metrics, Black-School model, Merton model, KMV, Credit Grades. Moreover, it also targets model's construction as well as practical application. Regarding practical model's application, Black-School model is applied on IBM and KMV on Kraft Foods Company. Admittedly, that proves the fact that structural models are not only theoretical models, but also practical models applyable on real companies. Finally, I will compare all above mentioned models in selected parameters.

This diploma thesis deals with problem of option pricing with stochastic volatility. At first, the Black-Scholes model is derived and then its biases are discussed. We explain shortly the concept of volatility. Further, we introduce three pricing models with stochastic volatility- Hull-White model, Heston model and Stein-Stein model. At the end, these models are reviewed.

O presente trabalho pretende introduzir uma visão das Finanças sob o aspecto da Filosofia da Ciência. Para permitir um estudo mais detalhado, optou-se por utilizar um dos modelos mais utilizados em Finanças, o modelo Black-Scholes de apreçamento de opções, e situá-lo dentro do campo de aplicação da Filosofia da Ciência. Primeiramente buscou-se, antes de entrar numa análise do texto original que apresentou o modelo, contextualizá-lo no campo da Economia e das Finanças e reconstruir historicamente suas bases conceituais. Em seguida são apresentados alguns dos elementos principais que caracterizam os modelos filosóficos de mudança científica posteriores à posição definida pelo positivismo lógico. Especial atenção é dada às concepções Realista e Anti-Realista da Ciência. Ao final, é feita uma descrição de algumas peculiaridades empíricas do modelo Black-Scholes e é analisada a função do modelo dentro do campo da Economia e das Finanças. / This work is an introduction of a Philosophy of Science view of the Finance. We choose the Black-Scholes option valuation model, one of the most famous models of finance, and we submet it of an analysis in the Philosophy of Science point of view. At first, we present an historical reconstruction of Black-Scholes model conceptual basis, using the original text of 1973. After this, we show some aspects of philosophical models of scientific change after the position defined by Positivism. Special attention is given to Realism and Anti-Realismo conception of science. At the end, we describe some empirical aspects of Black-Scholes model and its correlation inside the Economy and Modern Theory of Finance.

<p>This study examines whether the performance of the Black-Scholes model to price stock index options is influenced by the general conditions of the financial markets. For this purpose we calculated the theoretical values of 5814 options (3366 put option price observations and 2448 call option price observations) under the Black-Scholes assumptions. We compared these theoretical values with the real market prices in order to put the degree of deviations in two different time windows built around the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (September 15th 2008) to the test. We find clear evidences to state that the Black-Scholes model performed differently in the period after Lehman Brothers than in the period before; therefore we are able to blame this event for our findings.</p>

This study examines whether the performance of the Black-Scholes model to price stock index options is influenced by the general conditions of the financial markets. For this purpose we calculated the theoretical values of 5814 options (3366 put option price observations and 2448 call option price observations) under the Black-Scholes assumptions. We compared these theoretical values with the real market prices in order to put the degree of deviations in two different time windows built around the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (September 15th 2008) to the test. We find clear evidences to state that the Black-Scholes model performed differently in the period after Lehman Brothers than in the period before; therefore we are able to blame this event for our findings.

Option is an asymmetric contract between two parties with future payoff derived from the price of underlying asset. Methods of pricing di erent types of options under more or less general assumptions have been extensively studied since the Nobel price winning works of Black and Scholes [1] and Merton [12] were published in 1973. A new way of pricing options with the use of Mellin transforms have been recently introduced by Panini and Srivastav [15] in 2004. This thesis offers a brief introduction to option pricing with Mellin transforms and a revision of some of the recent research in this field.

A num¡¦eraire is the unit of account in which other assets are denominated. One usually takes the num¡¦eraire to be the currency of a country. In some applications one must change the num¡¦eraire due to the finance considerations. And sometimes it is convenient to change the num¡¦eraire because of modeling considerations. A model can be complicated or simple, depending on the choice of thenum¡¦eraire for the method. When change the num¡¦eraire, denominating the asset in some other unit of account, it is no longer a martingale under ˜P . When we change the num¡¦eraire, we need to also change the risk-neutral measure in order to maintain risk neutrality. The details and some applications of this idea developed in this thesis.