Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-77). Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Econ.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 28).

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 58-60).

Thesis (M.Econ.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 28). Also available in print.

The observed use (and indeed tremendous growth in volume) of forward contracts, futures, options, and swaps as hedges against interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk, and commodity price risk indicates that hedging does add value to the firm. The purpose this research was to empirically examine the value of off-balance-sheet hedging. The benefits of off-balance-sheet hedging were found to accrue from reducing (1) taxes, (2) expected financial distress costs, and (3) agency costs. Taxes. Hedging reduces the firm's tax liability by reducing the variability in taxable income. The value of hedging to the firm is a positive function of the convexity of the tax function and the variability of taxable income. Expected Financial Distress Costs. The value of hedging is a positive function of the degree to which hedging reduces the probability of financial distress and the costs of financial distress. Agency Cost. Due to the fact that bondholders and some managers hold fixed claims while shareholders hold variable claims, shareholders desire more risky projects than do bondholders or managers. Hedging reduces this conflict by allowing shareholders to undertake higher risk projects while protecting the holders of fixed claims. Firms can achieve the same benefits of hedging by using alternative strategies. Among the various alternatives to hedging are modifying the firm's capital structure, purchasing insurance, and modifying dividend policy. The amount of off-balance-sheet hedging activity undertaken by a specific firm is therefore a function of the value of hedging to the firm and the degree to which the firm has used alternatives to hedging. Using a regression analysis, this paper provides empirical evidence on the preceding relations. This study provides (1) the first empirical evidence into the reasons for a value-maximizing firm using off-balance-sheet hedging instruments, and (2) empirical insights into the way in which the firm's hedging decision interrelates with the capital structure, dividend, and insurance decisions.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When hedging with futures contracts the hedge ratio is one of the fundamental figures needed to set up a successful hedging strategy. The Mean Variance framework has been used for some time to calculate hedge ratios for this exact purpose. Certain assumptions are implicit in the Mean Variance framework such as the assumed normality of returns and assumed quadratic utility functions of investors. The validity of these assumptions has been questioned in the literature. The Mean Gini framework is first and second order stochastically dominant implying that there is no assumption regarding the return process or the utility function of investors. This study compares these two frameworks regarding the hedge ratios generated by each and their subsequent hedging effectiveness. The results indicate that neither one of the two frameworks generate the most effective hedge ratios all the time. The Mean Gini framework is, however, preferred above the Mean Variance framework for a significant number of futures contracts evaluated. It can therefore be concluded that making use of the Mean Variance framework for all futures contracts would have resulted in numerous ineffective hedging situations. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanneer verskansing met termynkontrakte gedoen word is, die verskansingsverhouding een van die fundamentele veranderlikes waaroor 'n besluit geneem moet word. Vir 'n geruime tyd word die Minimum Variansie verskansingsverhouding vir hierdie doel gebruik. Implisiet in die Minimum Variansie raamwerk is die aannames dat opbrengste normaal verdeel is en dat die beleggersnutsfunksie kwadraties van aard is. Die geldigheid van hierdie aannames het reeds heelwat kritiek in die literatuur ontlok. Die Gemiddelde Gini raamwerk is eerste en tweede graads stochasties dominant, wat impliseer dat geen aannames aangaande die opbrengs of die beleggersnutsfunksie gemaak word nie. Die studie vergelyk beide raamwerke rakende die verskansingsverhoudings deur elk gegenereer en die gepaardgaande verskansingdoeltreffendheid. Die resultate toon dat nie een van die twee raamwerke vir alle kontrakte die mees effektiewe verskansingsverhouding genereer nie. Die Gemiddelde Gini raamwerk word egter vir 'n beduidende aantal van die termynkontrakte bestudeer bo die Minimum Variansie raamwerk verkies.

published_or_final_version / Statistics and Actuarial Science / Master / Master of Philosophy

Stochastic volatility models have long provided a popular alternative to the Black- Scholes-Merton framework. They provide, in a self-consistent way, an explanation for the presence of implied volatility smiles/skews seen in practice. Incorporating jumps into the stochastic volatility framework gives further freedom to nancial mathematicians to t both the short and long end of the implied volatility surface. We present three stochastic volatility models here - the Heston model, the Bates model and the SVJJ model. The latter two models incorporate jumps in the stock price process and, in the case of the SVJJ model, jumps in the volatility process. We analyse the e ects that the di erent model parameters have on the implied volatility surface as well as the returns distribution. We also present pricing techniques for determining vanilla European option prices under the dynamics of the three models. These include the fast Fourier transform (FFT) framework of Carr and Madan as well as two Monte Carlo pricing methods. Making use of the FFT pricing framework, we present calibration techniques for tting the models to option data. Speci cally, we examine the use of the genetic algorithm, adaptive simulated annealing and a MATLAB optimisation routine for tting the models to option data via a leastsquares calibration routine. We favour the genetic algorithm and make use of it in tting the three models to ALSI and S&P 500 option data. The last section of the dissertation provides hedging techniques for the models via the calculation of option price sensitivities. We nd that a delta, vega and gamma hedging scheme provides the best results for the Heston model. The inclusion of jumps in the stock price and volatility processes, however, worsens the performance of this scheme. MATLAB code for some of the routines implemented is provided in the appendix.

This dissertation examines the pricing of the same credit risk in two currencies, and hence the valuation of credit-contingent foreign exchange products. Such pricing hinges upon the dependence of the credit risk and the foreign exchange rate. We recall the reduced-form model proposed by Ehlers (2007), which allows credit-currency dependence through correlation between the Brownian motions driving the default intensity and the exchange rate, and through a jump in the exchange rate at the default time. Four basic specifications of this model are considered. Two of these specifications have not previously appeared in the literature and one of these, based on a lognormal process for the default intensity, proves to be especially useful and tractable. The problem of hedging defaultable claims in one currency with similar claims in another is briefly considered, and it is shown that hedging against the default event and against credit spread movements are not in general equivalent.

by Rick Bute Man-kwong, Michael Wong Kam-tak. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves [1]-[2]