Dynamic Hedging

Dynamic Hedging

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 1997-01-14

Total Pages: 536

ISBN-13: 9780471152804

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Destined to become a market classic, Dynamic Hedging is the only practical reference in exotic options hedgingand arbitrage for professional traders and money managers Watch the professionals. From central banks to brokerages to multinationals, institutional investors are flocking to a new generation of exotic and complex options contracts and derivatives. But the promise of ever larger profits also creates the potential for catastrophic trading losses. Now more than ever, the key to trading derivatives lies in implementing preventive risk management techniques that plan for and avoid these appalling downturns. Unlike other books that offer risk management for corporate treasurers, Dynamic Hedging targets the real-world needs of professional traders and money managers. Written by a leading options trader and derivatives risk advisor to global banks and exchanges, this book provides a practical, real-world methodology for monitoring and managing all the risks associated with portfolio management. Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the founder of Empirica Capital LLC, a hedge fund operator, and a fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He has held a variety of senior derivative trading positions in New York and London and worked as an independent floor trader in Chicago. Dr. Taleb was inducted in February 2001 in the Derivatives Strategy Hall of Fame. He received an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from University Paris-Dauphine.


Book Synopsis Dynamic Hedging by : Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Download or read book Dynamic Hedging written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1997-01-14 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Destined to become a market classic, Dynamic Hedging is the only practical reference in exotic options hedgingand arbitrage for professional traders and money managers Watch the professionals. From central banks to brokerages to multinationals, institutional investors are flocking to a new generation of exotic and complex options contracts and derivatives. But the promise of ever larger profits also creates the potential for catastrophic trading losses. Now more than ever, the key to trading derivatives lies in implementing preventive risk management techniques that plan for and avoid these appalling downturns. Unlike other books that offer risk management for corporate treasurers, Dynamic Hedging targets the real-world needs of professional traders and money managers. Written by a leading options trader and derivatives risk advisor to global banks and exchanges, this book provides a practical, real-world methodology for monitoring and managing all the risks associated with portfolio management. Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the founder of Empirica Capital LLC, a hedge fund operator, and a fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He has held a variety of senior derivative trading positions in New York and London and worked as an independent floor trader in Chicago. Dr. Taleb was inducted in February 2001 in the Derivatives Strategy Hall of Fame. He received an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from University Paris-Dauphine.

Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives

Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives

Author: Patrick Boyle

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2018-12-17

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 1547401214

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Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives is an introduction to the world of futures, options, and swaps. Investors who are interested in deepening their knowledge of derivatives of all kinds will find this book to be an invaluable resource. The book is also useful in a very applied course on derivative trading. The authors delve into the history of options pricing; simple strategies of options trading; binomial tree valuation; Black-Scholes option valuation; option sensitivities; risk management and interest rate swaps in this immensely informative yet easy to comprehend work. Using their vast working experience in the financial markets at international investment banks and hedge funds since the late 1990s and teaching derivatives and investment courses at the Master's level, Patrick Boyle and Jesse McDougall put forth their knowledge and expertise in clearly explained concepts. This book does not presuppose advanced mathematical knowledge, though it is presented for completeness for those that may benefit from it, and is designed for a general audience, suitable for beginners through to those with intermediate knowledge of the subject.


Book Synopsis Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives by : Patrick Boyle

Download or read book Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives written by Patrick Boyle and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2018-12-17 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trading and Pricing Financial Derivatives is an introduction to the world of futures, options, and swaps. Investors who are interested in deepening their knowledge of derivatives of all kinds will find this book to be an invaluable resource. The book is also useful in a very applied course on derivative trading. The authors delve into the history of options pricing; simple strategies of options trading; binomial tree valuation; Black-Scholes option valuation; option sensitivities; risk management and interest rate swaps in this immensely informative yet easy to comprehend work. Using their vast working experience in the financial markets at international investment banks and hedge funds since the late 1990s and teaching derivatives and investment courses at the Master's level, Patrick Boyle and Jesse McDougall put forth their knowledge and expertise in clearly explained concepts. This book does not presuppose advanced mathematical knowledge, though it is presented for completeness for those that may benefit from it, and is designed for a general audience, suitable for beginners through to those with intermediate knowledge of the subject.

The Economic Foundations of Risk Management

The Economic Foundations of Risk Management

Author: Robert Jarrow

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2016-11-02

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 9813147539

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The Economic Foundations of Risk Management presents the theory, the practice, and applies this knowledge to provide a forensic analysis of some well-known risk management failures. By doing so, this book introduces a unified framework for understanding how to manage the risk of an individual's or corporation's or financial institution's assets and liabilities. The book is divided into five parts. The first part studies the markets and the assets and liabilities that trade therein. Markets are differentiated based on whether they are competitive or not, frictionless or not (and the type of friction), and actively traded or not. Assets are divided into two types: primary assets and financial derivatives. The second part studies models for determining the risks of the traded assets. Models provided include the Black-Scholes-Merton, the Heath-Jarrow-Morton, and the reduced form model for credit risk. Liquidity risk, operational risk, and trading constraint models are also contained therein. The third part studies the conceptual solution to an individual's, firm's, and bank's risk management problem. This formulation involves solving a complex dynamic programming problem that cannot be applied in practice. Consequently, Part IV investigates how risk management is actually done in practice via the use of diversification, static hedging, and dynamic hedging. Finally, Part V applies these collective insights to six case studies, which are famous risk management failures. These are Penn Square Bank, Metallgesellschaft, Orange County, Barings Bank, Long Term Capital Management, and Washington Mutual. The credit crisis is also discussed to understand how risk management failed for many institutions and why.


Book Synopsis The Economic Foundations of Risk Management by : Robert Jarrow

Download or read book The Economic Foundations of Risk Management written by Robert Jarrow and published by World Scientific. This book was released on 2016-11-02 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Economic Foundations of Risk Management presents the theory, the practice, and applies this knowledge to provide a forensic analysis of some well-known risk management failures. By doing so, this book introduces a unified framework for understanding how to manage the risk of an individual's or corporation's or financial institution's assets and liabilities. The book is divided into five parts. The first part studies the markets and the assets and liabilities that trade therein. Markets are differentiated based on whether they are competitive or not, frictionless or not (and the type of friction), and actively traded or not. Assets are divided into two types: primary assets and financial derivatives. The second part studies models for determining the risks of the traded assets. Models provided include the Black-Scholes-Merton, the Heath-Jarrow-Morton, and the reduced form model for credit risk. Liquidity risk, operational risk, and trading constraint models are also contained therein. The third part studies the conceptual solution to an individual's, firm's, and bank's risk management problem. This formulation involves solving a complex dynamic programming problem that cannot be applied in practice. Consequently, Part IV investigates how risk management is actually done in practice via the use of diversification, static hedging, and dynamic hedging. Finally, Part V applies these collective insights to six case studies, which are famous risk management failures. These are Penn Square Bank, Metallgesellschaft, Orange County, Barings Bank, Long Term Capital Management, and Washington Mutual. The credit crisis is also discussed to understand how risk management failed for many institutions and why.

An Option Greeks Primer

An Option Greeks Primer

Author: Jawwad Farid

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-03-23

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 1137371676

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This book provides a hands-on, practical guide to understanding derivatives pricing. Aimed at the less quantitative practitioner, it provides a balanced account of options, Greeks and hedging techniques avoiding the complicated mathematics inherent to many texts, and with a focus on modelling, market practice and intuition.


Book Synopsis An Option Greeks Primer by : Jawwad Farid

Download or read book An Option Greeks Primer written by Jawwad Farid and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-03-23 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a hands-on, practical guide to understanding derivatives pricing. Aimed at the less quantitative practitioner, it provides a balanced account of options, Greeks and hedging techniques avoiding the complicated mathematics inherent to many texts, and with a focus on modelling, market practice and intuition.

Dynamic Hedging

Dynamic Hedging

Author: Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 1997-01-14

Total Pages: 528

ISBN-13: 0471152803

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Destined to become a market classic, Dynamic Hedging is the only practical reference in exotic options hedgingand arbitrage for professional traders and money managers Watch the professionals. From central banks to brokerages to multinationals, institutional investors are flocking to a new generation of exotic and complex options contracts and derivatives. But the promise of ever larger profits also creates the potential for catastrophic trading losses. Now more than ever, the key to trading derivatives lies in implementing preventive risk management techniques that plan for and avoid these appalling downturns. Unlike other books that offer risk management for corporate treasurers, Dynamic Hedging targets the real-world needs of professional traders and money managers. Written by a leading options trader and derivatives risk advisor to global banks and exchanges, this book provides a practical, real-world methodology for monitoring and managing all the risks associated with portfolio management. Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the founder of Empirica Capital LLC, a hedge fund operator, and a fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He has held a variety of senior derivative trading positions in New York and London and worked as an independent floor trader in Chicago. Dr. Taleb was inducted in February 2001 in the Derivatives Strategy Hall of Fame. He received an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from University Paris-Dauphine.


Book Synopsis Dynamic Hedging by : Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Download or read book Dynamic Hedging written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1997-01-14 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Destined to become a market classic, Dynamic Hedging is the only practical reference in exotic options hedgingand arbitrage for professional traders and money managers Watch the professionals. From central banks to brokerages to multinationals, institutional investors are flocking to a new generation of exotic and complex options contracts and derivatives. But the promise of ever larger profits also creates the potential for catastrophic trading losses. Now more than ever, the key to trading derivatives lies in implementing preventive risk management techniques that plan for and avoid these appalling downturns. Unlike other books that offer risk management for corporate treasurers, Dynamic Hedging targets the real-world needs of professional traders and money managers. Written by a leading options trader and derivatives risk advisor to global banks and exchanges, this book provides a practical, real-world methodology for monitoring and managing all the risks associated with portfolio management. Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the founder of Empirica Capital LLC, a hedge fund operator, and a fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He has held a variety of senior derivative trading positions in New York and London and worked as an independent floor trader in Chicago. Dr. Taleb was inducted in February 2001 in the Derivatives Strategy Hall of Fame. He received an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from University Paris-Dauphine.

Portfolio Insurance

Portfolio Insurance

Author: Donald Luskin

Publisher: Wiley

Published: 1988-03-16

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 9780471858492

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Portfolio insurance has become a craze among institutional investors: over the past ten years, the value of assets managed under this strategy has grown from zero to more than -50 billion. This guide offers complete coverage and practical advice on every aspect of the subject. It clearly defines the characteristics of portfolio insurance, providing background on its history and the theory of hedging, going on to describe how to implement a hedging strategy, how to fit portfolio insurance into long-term financial planning, using index and financial futures and options in hedging, and techniques for measuring performance. Also included is a discussion of how portfolio insurance operates in the international arena.


Book Synopsis Portfolio Insurance by : Donald Luskin

Download or read book Portfolio Insurance written by Donald Luskin and published by Wiley. This book was released on 1988-03-16 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Portfolio insurance has become a craze among institutional investors: over the past ten years, the value of assets managed under this strategy has grown from zero to more than -50 billion. This guide offers complete coverage and practical advice on every aspect of the subject. It clearly defines the characteristics of portfolio insurance, providing background on its history and the theory of hedging, going on to describe how to implement a hedging strategy, how to fit portfolio insurance into long-term financial planning, using index and financial futures and options in hedging, and techniques for measuring performance. Also included is a discussion of how portfolio insurance operates in the international arena.

Derivatives Analytics with Python

Derivatives Analytics with Python

Author: Yves Hilpisch

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2015-08-03

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 1119037999

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Supercharge options analytics and hedging using the power of Python Derivatives Analytics with Python shows you how to implement market-consistent valuation and hedging approaches using advanced financial models, efficient numerical techniques, and the powerful capabilities of the Python programming language. This unique guide offers detailed explanations of all theory, methods, and processes, giving you the background and tools necessary to value stock index options from a sound foundation. You'll find and use self-contained Python scripts and modules and learn how to apply Python to advanced data and derivatives analytics as you benefit from the 5,000+ lines of code that are provided to help you reproduce the results and graphics presented. Coverage includes market data analysis, risk-neutral valuation, Monte Carlo simulation, model calibration, valuation, and dynamic hedging, with models that exhibit stochastic volatility, jump components, stochastic short rates, and more. The companion website features all code and IPython Notebooks for immediate execution and automation. Python is gaining ground in the derivatives analytics space, allowing institutions to quickly and efficiently deliver portfolio, trading, and risk management results. This book is the finance professional's guide to exploiting Python's capabilities for efficient and performing derivatives analytics. Reproduce major stylized facts of equity and options markets yourself Apply Fourier transform techniques and advanced Monte Carlo pricing Calibrate advanced option pricing models to market data Integrate advanced models and numeric methods to dynamically hedge options Recent developments in the Python ecosystem enable analysts to implement analytics tasks as performing as with C or C++, but using only about one-tenth of the code or even less. Derivatives Analytics with Python — Data Analysis, Models, Simulation, Calibration and Hedging shows you what you need to know to supercharge your derivatives and risk analytics efforts.


Book Synopsis Derivatives Analytics with Python by : Yves Hilpisch

Download or read book Derivatives Analytics with Python written by Yves Hilpisch and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2015-08-03 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Supercharge options analytics and hedging using the power of Python Derivatives Analytics with Python shows you how to implement market-consistent valuation and hedging approaches using advanced financial models, efficient numerical techniques, and the powerful capabilities of the Python programming language. This unique guide offers detailed explanations of all theory, methods, and processes, giving you the background and tools necessary to value stock index options from a sound foundation. You'll find and use self-contained Python scripts and modules and learn how to apply Python to advanced data and derivatives analytics as you benefit from the 5,000+ lines of code that are provided to help you reproduce the results and graphics presented. Coverage includes market data analysis, risk-neutral valuation, Monte Carlo simulation, model calibration, valuation, and dynamic hedging, with models that exhibit stochastic volatility, jump components, stochastic short rates, and more. The companion website features all code and IPython Notebooks for immediate execution and automation. Python is gaining ground in the derivatives analytics space, allowing institutions to quickly and efficiently deliver portfolio, trading, and risk management results. This book is the finance professional's guide to exploiting Python's capabilities for efficient and performing derivatives analytics. Reproduce major stylized facts of equity and options markets yourself Apply Fourier transform techniques and advanced Monte Carlo pricing Calibrate advanced option pricing models to market data Integrate advanced models and numeric methods to dynamically hedge options Recent developments in the Python ecosystem enable analysts to implement analytics tasks as performing as with C or C++, but using only about one-tenth of the code or even less. Derivatives Analytics with Python — Data Analysis, Models, Simulation, Calibration and Hedging shows you what you need to know to supercharge your derivatives and risk analytics efforts.

Stochastic Finance

Stochastic Finance

Author: Hans Föllmer

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2016-07-25

Total Pages: 608

ISBN-13: 3110463458

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This book is an introduction to financial mathematics. It is intended for graduate students in mathematics and for researchers working in academia and industry. The focus on stochastic models in discrete time has two immediate benefits. First, the probabilistic machinery is simpler, and one can discuss right away some of the key problems in the theory of pricing and hedging of financial derivatives. Second, the paradigm of a complete financial market, where all derivatives admit a perfect hedge, becomes the exception rather than the rule. Thus, the need to confront the intrinsic risks arising from market incomleteness appears at a very early stage. The first part of the book contains a study of a simple one-period model, which also serves as a building block for later developments. Topics include the characterization of arbitrage-free markets, preferences on asset profiles, an introduction to equilibrium analysis, and monetary measures of financial risk. In the second part, the idea of dynamic hedging of contingent claims is developed in a multiperiod framework. Topics include martingale measures, pricing formulas for derivatives, American options, superhedging, and hedging strategies with minimal shortfall risk. This fourth, newly revised edition contains more than one hundred exercises. It also includes material on risk measures and the related issue of model uncertainty, in particular a chapter on dynamic risk measures and sections on robust utility maximization and on efficient hedging with convex risk measures. Contents: Part I: Mathematical finance in one period Arbitrage theory Preferences Optimality and equilibrium Monetary measures of risk Part II: Dynamic hedging Dynamic arbitrage theory American contingent claims Superhedging Efficient hedging Hedging under constraints Minimizing the hedging error Dynamic risk measures


Book Synopsis Stochastic Finance by : Hans Föllmer

Download or read book Stochastic Finance written by Hans Föllmer and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2016-07-25 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an introduction to financial mathematics. It is intended for graduate students in mathematics and for researchers working in academia and industry. The focus on stochastic models in discrete time has two immediate benefits. First, the probabilistic machinery is simpler, and one can discuss right away some of the key problems in the theory of pricing and hedging of financial derivatives. Second, the paradigm of a complete financial market, where all derivatives admit a perfect hedge, becomes the exception rather than the rule. Thus, the need to confront the intrinsic risks arising from market incomleteness appears at a very early stage. The first part of the book contains a study of a simple one-period model, which also serves as a building block for later developments. Topics include the characterization of arbitrage-free markets, preferences on asset profiles, an introduction to equilibrium analysis, and monetary measures of financial risk. In the second part, the idea of dynamic hedging of contingent claims is developed in a multiperiod framework. Topics include martingale measures, pricing formulas for derivatives, American options, superhedging, and hedging strategies with minimal shortfall risk. This fourth, newly revised edition contains more than one hundred exercises. It also includes material on risk measures and the related issue of model uncertainty, in particular a chapter on dynamic risk measures and sections on robust utility maximization and on efficient hedging with convex risk measures. Contents: Part I: Mathematical finance in one period Arbitrage theory Preferences Optimality and equilibrium Monetary measures of risk Part II: Dynamic hedging Dynamic arbitrage theory American contingent claims Superhedging Efficient hedging Hedging under constraints Minimizing the hedging error Dynamic risk measures

Fixed-Income Securities

Fixed-Income Securities

Author: Lionel Martellini

Publisher: Wiley

Published: 2001-02-08

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780471495024

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Dynamic methods for interest rate risk pricing and hedging. Fixed-Income Securities provides a survey of modern methods forpricing and hedging fixed-income securities in the presence ofinterest rate risk. Modern theory of finance provides a wealth ofnew approaches to the important question of interest rate riskmanagement, and this book brings them together, in a comprehensiveand thorough treatment of the subject. Structured in an accessible manner, the authors begin by focusingon pricing and hedging certain cash flows, before moving on toconsider pricing and hedging uncertain cash flows. In addition tothe theoretical explanation, the authors provide numerousreal-world examples and applications throughout. This is the first book I have seen to carefully cover such a wideset of topics in both theoretical and applied fixed-incomemodelling, ranging from the use of market information to obtainyield curves, to the pricing and hedging of bonds and fixed-incomederivatives, to the currently active topic of defaultableyield-curve modelling. It will be particularly useful topractitioners.Darrell Duffie, Stanford University This is the most comprehensive theoretical treatment of thesubject I ve ever seen. Mark Rubinstein, Haas School of Business,University of California An excellent review of interest rate models and of the pricing andhedging principles in the fixed-income area.Oldrich Alfons Vasicek,KMV Corporation


Book Synopsis Fixed-Income Securities by : Lionel Martellini

Download or read book Fixed-Income Securities written by Lionel Martellini and published by Wiley. This book was released on 2001-02-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dynamic methods for interest rate risk pricing and hedging. Fixed-Income Securities provides a survey of modern methods forpricing and hedging fixed-income securities in the presence ofinterest rate risk. Modern theory of finance provides a wealth ofnew approaches to the important question of interest rate riskmanagement, and this book brings them together, in a comprehensiveand thorough treatment of the subject. Structured in an accessible manner, the authors begin by focusingon pricing and hedging certain cash flows, before moving on toconsider pricing and hedging uncertain cash flows. In addition tothe theoretical explanation, the authors provide numerousreal-world examples and applications throughout. This is the first book I have seen to carefully cover such a wideset of topics in both theoretical and applied fixed-incomemodelling, ranging from the use of market information to obtainyield curves, to the pricing and hedging of bonds and fixed-incomederivatives, to the currently active topic of defaultableyield-curve modelling. It will be particularly useful topractitioners.Darrell Duffie, Stanford University This is the most comprehensive theoretical treatment of thesubject I ve ever seen. Mark Rubinstein, Haas School of Business,University of California An excellent review of interest rate models and of the pricing andhedging principles in the fixed-income area.Oldrich Alfons Vasicek,KMV Corporation

Volatility Trading

Volatility Trading

Author: Euan Sinclair

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-01-11

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1118045297

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In Volatility Trading, Sinclair offers you a quantitative model for measuring volatility in order to gain an edge in your everyday option trading endeavors. With an accessible, straightforward approach. He guides traders through the basics of option pricing, volatility measurement, hedging, money management, and trade evaluation. In addition, Sinclair explains the often-overlooked psychological aspects of trading, revealing both how behavioral psychology can create market conditions traders can take advantage of-and how it can lead them astray. Psychological biases, he asserts, are probably the drivers behind most sources of edge available to a volatility trader. Your goal, Sinclair explains, must be clearly defined and easily expressed-if you cannot explain it in one sentence, you probably aren't completely clear about what it is. The same applies to your statistical edge. If you do not know exactly what your edge is, you shouldn't trade. He shows how, in addition to the numerical evaluation of a potential trade, you should be able to identify and evaluate the reason why implied volatility is priced where it is, that is, why an edge exists. This means it is also necessary to be on top of recent news stories, sector trends, and behavioral psychology. Finally, Sinclair underscores why trades need to be sized correctly, which means that each trade is evaluated according to its projected return and risk in the overall context of your goals. As the author concludes, while we also need to pay attention to seemingly mundane things like having good execution software, a comfortable office, and getting enough sleep, it is knowledge that is the ultimate source of edge. So, all else being equal, the trader with the greater knowledge will be the more successful. This book, and its companion CD-ROM, will provide that knowledge. The CD-ROM includes spreadsheets designed to help you forecast volatility and evaluate trades together with simulation engines.


Book Synopsis Volatility Trading by : Euan Sinclair

Download or read book Volatility Trading written by Euan Sinclair and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-01-11 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Volatility Trading, Sinclair offers you a quantitative model for measuring volatility in order to gain an edge in your everyday option trading endeavors. With an accessible, straightforward approach. He guides traders through the basics of option pricing, volatility measurement, hedging, money management, and trade evaluation. In addition, Sinclair explains the often-overlooked psychological aspects of trading, revealing both how behavioral psychology can create market conditions traders can take advantage of-and how it can lead them astray. Psychological biases, he asserts, are probably the drivers behind most sources of edge available to a volatility trader. Your goal, Sinclair explains, must be clearly defined and easily expressed-if you cannot explain it in one sentence, you probably aren't completely clear about what it is. The same applies to your statistical edge. If you do not know exactly what your edge is, you shouldn't trade. He shows how, in addition to the numerical evaluation of a potential trade, you should be able to identify and evaluate the reason why implied volatility is priced where it is, that is, why an edge exists. This means it is also necessary to be on top of recent news stories, sector trends, and behavioral psychology. Finally, Sinclair underscores why trades need to be sized correctly, which means that each trade is evaluated according to its projected return and risk in the overall context of your goals. As the author concludes, while we also need to pay attention to seemingly mundane things like having good execution software, a comfortable office, and getting enough sleep, it is knowledge that is the ultimate source of edge. So, all else being equal, the trader with the greater knowledge will be the more successful. This book, and its companion CD-ROM, will provide that knowledge. The CD-ROM includes spreadsheets designed to help you forecast volatility and evaluate trades together with simulation engines.