Finance provides a dramatic example of the successful application of mathematics to the practical problem of pricing financial derivatives. This self-contained text is designed for first courses in financial calculus. Key concepts are introduced in the discrete time framework: proofs in the continuous-time world follow naturally. The second half of the book is devoted to financially sophisticated models and instruments. A valuable feature is the large number of exercises and examples, designed to test technique and illustrate how the methods and concepts are applied to realistic financial questions.
Stochastic calculus has important applications to mathematical finance. This book will appeal to practitioners and students who want an elementary introduction to these areas. From the reviews: "As the preface says, ‘This is a text with an attitude, and it is designed to reflect, wherever possible and appropriate, a prejudice for the concrete over the abstract’. This is also reflected in the style of writing which is unusually lively for a mathematics book." --ZENTRALBLATT MATH
This book presents a concise treatment of stochastic calculus and its applications. It gives a simple but rigorous treatment of the subject including a range of advanced topics, it is useful for practitioners who use advanced theoretical results. It covers advanced applications, such as models in mathematical finance, biology and engineering.Self-contained and unified in presentation, the book contains many solved examples and exercises. It may be used as a textbook by advanced undergraduates and graduate students in stochastic calculus and financial mathematics. It is also suitable for practitioners who wish to gain an understanding or working knowledge of the subject. For mathematicians, this book could be a first text on stochastic calculus; it is good companion to more advanced texts by a way of examples and exercises. For people from other fields, it provides a way to gain a working knowledge of stochastic calculus. It shows all readers the applications of stochastic calculus methods and takes readers to the technical level required in research and sophisticated modelling.This second edition contains a new chapter on bonds, interest rates and their options. New materials include more worked out examples in all chapters, best estimators, more results on change of time, change of measure, random measures, new results on exotic options, FX options, stochastic and implied volatility, models of the age-dependent branching process and the stochastic Lotka-Volterra model in biology, non-linear filtering in engineering and five new figures.Instructors can obtain slides of the text from the author.
A step-by-step explanation of the mathematical models used to price derivatives. For this second edition, Salih Neftci has expanded one chapter, added six new ones, and inserted chapter-concluding exercises. He does not assume that the reader has a thorough mathematical background. His explanations of financial calculus seek to be simple and perceptive.
This book is an elementary introduction to the basic concepts of financial mathematics with a central focus on discrete models and an aim to demonstrate simple, but widely used, financial derivatives for managing market risks. Only a basic knowledge of probability, real analysis, ordinary differential equations, linear algebra and some common sense are required to understand the concepts considered in this book.Financial mathematics is an application of advanced mathematical and statistical methods to financial management and markets, with a main objective of quantifying and hedging risks. Since the book aims to present the basics of financial mathematics to the reader, only essential elements of probability and stochastic analysis are given to explain ideas concerning derivative pricing and hedging. To keep the reader intrigued and motivated, the book has a ‘sandwich’ structure: probability and stochastics are given in situ where mathematics can be readily illustrated by application to finance.The first part of the book introduces one of the main principles in finance — ‘no arbitrage pricing’. It also introduces main financial instruments such as forward and futures contracts, bonds and swaps, and options. The second part deals with pricing and hedging of European- and American-type options in the discrete-time setting. In addition, the concept of complete and incomplete markets is discussed. Elementary probability is briefly revised and discrete-time discrete-space stochastic processes used in financial modelling are considered. The third part introduces the Wiener process, Ito integrals and stochastic differential equations, but its main focus is the famous Black-Scholes formula for pricing European options. Some guidance for further study within this exciting and rapidly changing field is given in the concluding chapter. There are approximately 100 exercises interspersed throughout the book, and solutions for most problems are provided in the appendices.
Developed for the professional Master's program in Computational Finance at Carnegie Mellon, the leading financial engineering program in the U.S. Has been tested in the classroom and revised over a period of several years Exercises conclude every chapter; some of these extend the theory while others are drawn from practical problems in quantitative finance
The book has been tested and refined through years of classroom teaching experience. With an abundance of examples, problems, and fully worked out solutions, the text introduces the financial theory and relevant mathematical methods in a mathematically rigorous yet engaging way. This textbook provides complete coverage of continuous-time financial models that form the cornerstones of financial derivative pricing theory. Unlike similar texts in the field, this one presents multiple problem-solving approaches, linking related comprehensive techniques for pricing different types of financial derivatives. Key features: In-depth coverage of continuous-time theory and methodology Numerous, fully worked out examples and exercises in every chapter Mathematically rigorous and consistent, yet bridging various basic and more advanced concepts Judicious balance of financial theory and mathematical methods Guide to Material This revision contains: Almost 150 pages worth of new material in all chapters A appendix on probability theory An expanded set of solved problems and additional exercises Answers to all exercises This book is a comprehensive, self-contained, and unified treatment of the main theory and application of mathematical methods behind modern-day financial mathematics. The text complements Financial Mathematics: A Comprehensive Treatment in Discrete Time, by the same authors, also published by CRC Press.
Learn how quantitative models can help fight client problems head-on Before financial problems can be solved, they need to be fully understood. Since in-depth quantitative modeling techniques are a powerful tool to understanding the drivers associated with financial problems, one would need a solid grasp of these techniques before being able to unlock their full potential of the methods used. In The Mathematics of Financial Models, the author presents real world solutions to the everyday problems facing financial professionals. With interactive tools such as spreadsheets for valuation, pricing, and modeling, this resource combines highly mathematical quantitative analysis with useful, practical methodologies to create an essential guide for investment and risk-management professionals facing modeling issues in insurance, derivatives valuation, and pension benefits, among others. In addition to this, this resource also provides the relevant tools like matrices, calculus, statistics and numerical analysis that are used to build the quantitative methods used. Financial analysts, investment professionals, risk-management professionals, and graduate students will find applicable information throughout the book, and gain from the self-study exercises and the refresher course on key mathematical topics. Equipped with tips and information, The Mathematics of Financial Models Provides practical methodologies based on mathematical quantitative analysis to help analysts, investment and risk-management professionals better navigate client issues Contains interactive tools that demonstrate the power of analysis and modeling Helps financial professionals become more familiar with the challenges across a range of industries Includes a mathematics refresher course and plenty of exercises to get readers up to speed The Mathematics of Financial Models is an in-depth guide that helps readers break through common client financial problems and emerge with clearer strategies for solving issues in the future.
Introduction to Financial Mathematics: Option Valuation, Second Edition is a well-rounded primer to the mathematics and models used in the valuation of financial derivatives. The book consists of fifteen chapters, the first ten of which develop option valuation techniques in discrete time, the last five describing the theory in continuous time. The first half of the textbook develops basic finance and probability. The author then treats the binomial model as the primary example of discrete-time option valuation. The final part of the textbook examines the Black-Scholes model. The book is written to provide a straightforward account of the principles of option pricing and examines these principles in detail using standard discrete and stochastic calculus models. Additionally, the second edition has new exercises and examples, and includes many tables and graphs generated by over 30 MS Excel VBA modules available on the author’s webpage https://home.gwu.edu/~hdj/.
