Linyi Qian

Local risk minimization for vulnerable European contingent claims on nontradable assets under regime switching models

ABSTRACT This article focuses on an optimal hedging problem of the vulnerable European contingent claims. The underlying asset of the vulnerable European contingent claims is assumed to be nontradable. The interest rate, the appreciation rate and the volatility of risky assets are modulated by a finite-state continuous-time Markov chain. By using the local risk minimization method, we obtain an explicit closed-form solution for the optimal hedging strategies of the vulnerable European contingent claims. Further, we consider a problem of hedging for a vulnerable European call option. Optimal hedging strategies are obtained. Finally, a numerical example for the optimal hedging strategies of the vulnerable European call option in a two-regime case is provided to illustrate the sensitivities of the hedging strategies.

Pricing dynamic fund protections with regime switching

This paper deals with the valuation of dynamic fund protections in a Markov regime-switching environment. The volatility switches over time subject to a continuous-time Markov chain. Using a regime-switching diffusion process to describe the primary mutual fund value, explicit solutions of the Laplace transforms of the value of the dynamic fund protection are obtained through martingale technique. Moreover, we analyze the value of dynamic fund protections under a generalized regime-switching jump diffusion model. Due to the complexity of Markov regime-switching, the jump process involved, and the nonlinearity, closed-form formulas for dynamic fund protection prices are virtually impossible to obtain. We design a numerical algorithm according to the Markov chain approximation techniques and obtain numerical results of the value of dynamic fund protection.

Optimal quota-share reinsurance based on the mutual benefit of insurer and reinsurer

Abstract This paper investigates the optimal quota-share reinsurance strategies that can bring mutual benefit to both an insurer and a reinsurer. We consider five different optimality criteria that reflect the interest of both parties. The mutual beneficiary is also reflected in utility improvement constraints, which guarantee that both the insurer and the reinsurer will end up with higher expected utility of wealth with reinsurance agreements. Under each optimality criterion, explicit expressions of optimal quota-share retention and the corresponding objective function are obtained. Results indicate that the reinsurer’s safety loading plays a key role in determining the optimal retained proportion. In the numerical example, we demonstrate the expected utility increment after underwriting optimal constrained quota-share reinsurance that minimizes the total VaR/TVaR of the two parties. Comparing with the optimal strategies without utility constraint, the total expected utility will increase significantly after entering into an optimal quota-share reinsurance contact with utility improvement constraints.

Pricing dynamic fund protections for a hyper-exponential jump diffusion process

ABSTRACT This article deals with the valuation of dynamic fund protections (DFPs) under a jump diffusion model, where the jump size follows a hyperexponential distribution. The closed-form solution of the value of DFP is obtained in terms of Laplace transform. A numerical example is provided to show that the explicit solution is easy to implement by using the Gaver–Stehfest algorithm. Effects of key parameters are analyzed at last. The valuation method developed in this work can be used in pricing various variable annuities and path-dependent financial products.

Pricing and hedging equity-indexed annuities via local risk-minimization

ABSTRACT Lin et al. (2009) employed the Esscher transform method to price equity-indexed annuities (EIAs) when the dynamic of the market value of a reference asset was driven by a generalized geometric Brownian motion model with regime-switching. Some rare events (release of an unexpected economic figure, major political changes or even a natural disaster in a major economy) can lead to brusque variations in asset prices, and hence we sometimes need to consider jump models. This paper extends the model and analysis in Lin et al. (2009). Specifically, we assume that the financial market has a regime-switching jump-diffusion model, under which we price the point-to-point, the Asian-end, the high water mark and the annual reset EIAs by exploiting the local risk-minimization approach. The effects of the model parameters on the EIAs pricing are illustrated through numerical experiments. Meanwhile, we present the locally risk-minimizing hedging strategies for EIAs.

Static Hedging of Geometric Average Asian Options with Standard Options

In this article, we first establish a theorem that represents the price of an Asian option in terms of standard European options with a shorter term and different strikes. Then using Gauss–Hermite numerical integration, we discretize our theorem so as to use Monte Carlo simulation to examine the error of the static hedging under the Black–Scholes model and the Merton jump-diffusion model. For ease of comparison, we also provide the error of the dynamic hedging. The numerical results show that the static hedging strategy performs better than the dynamic one under both models.