The Mathematics of Arbitrage

(Tina Meador) #1
4.3 Bachelier’s Model 59

It is straightforward to derive from (4.4) an “option pricing formula” by
calculating the integral in (4.4) (compare, e.g., [Sh 99]): denoting the standard
normal density function byφ(x), i.e.,φ(x) equals (4.5) forσ^2 T=1,denoting
the corresponding distribution function byΦ(x) and using the relationφ′(x)=
−xφ(x), an elementary calculation reveals that


C(S 0 ,T)=E[f]=(S 0 −K)Φ

(


S 0 −K


σ


T


)





(


S 0 −K


σ


T


)


. (4.6)


By the same token we obtain, for every 0≤t≤T, and conditionally on
the stock price having the valueStat timet,


C(St,T−t) (4.7)

=E[f|St]=(St−K)Φ

(


St−K
σ


T−t

)




T−tφ

(


St−K
σ


T−t

)


.


This solves the pricing problem in Bachelier’s model, based on no-arbitrage
arguments, as we have the “replication formula” (4.3).
ButwhatisthetradingstrategyH, in other words, the recipe to replicate
the option by trading dynamically? Economic intuition suggests that we have


H(S, t)=


∂S


C(S, T−t).

Indeed, consider the following heuristic reasoning using infinitesimals: sup-
pose that at timetthe stock price equalsSt, so that the value of the option
equalsC(St,T−t). During the infinitesimal interval (t, t+dt) the Brownian
motionWtwill move bydWt=Wt+dt−Wt=εt



dt,whereP[εt=1]=P[εt=
−1] =^12 ,sothatStwill move bydSt=St+dt−St=εtσ



dt. Hence the value of
the optionC(St,T−t) will move bydCt=C(St+dt,T−(t+dt))−C(St,T−t)≈
εt∂C∂S(St,T−t)σ



dt, where we neglect terms of smaller order than


dt.In
other words, the ratio between the up or down movement of the underlying
stockSand the option is


dCt
dSt

=


∂C


∂S


(St,T−t)
εtσ


dt
εtσ


dt

(4.8)


=


∂C


∂S


(St,T−t).

If we want to replicate the option by investing the proper quantityHof
the underlying stock, formula (4.8) suggests that this quantity should equal
∂C
∂S(St,T−t).
After these motivating remarks, let us deduce the equation


H(St,t)=

∂C


∂S


(St,T−t) (4.9)

more formally. Consider the stochastic process


C(St,T−t)=C(S 0 +σWt,T−t), 0 ≤t≤T,
Free download pdf