Mathematical Techniques in Finance

Mathematical finance requires the use of advanced mathematical techniques drawn from the theory of probability, stochastic processes and stochastic differential equations. These areas are generally introduced and developed at an abstract level, making it problematic when applying these techniques to practical issues in finance. Problems and Solutions in Mathematical Finance Volume I: Stochastic Calculus is the first of a four-volume set of books focusing on problems and solutions in mathematical finance. This volume introduces the reader to the basic stochastic calculus concepts required for the study of this important subject, providing a large number of worked examples which enable the reader to build the necessary foundation for more practical orientated problems in the later volumes. Through this application and by working through the numerous examples, the reader will properly understand and appreciate the fundamentals that underpin mathematical finance. Written mainly for students, industry practitioners and those involved in teaching in this field of study, Stochastic Calculus provides a valuable reference book to complement one’s further understanding of mathematical finance.

Pick up any hydrology textbook and it will not be long before you encounter pages listing sequences of equations representing complex mathematical concepts. Students and practitioners of hydrology will not find this very helpful, as their aim, generally, is to study and understand hydrology, and not to find themselves confronted with material that even students of mathematics would find challenging. Often, equations appear to be copied and pasted into hydrological texts in an attempt to give a more rigorous scientific basis to the narrative. However, they are commonly wrong, poorly explained, without context or background, and more likely to confuse and distance the reader than to enlighten and engage them in the topic. Understanding Mathematical and Statistical Techniques in Hydrology provides full and detailed expositions of such equations and mathematical concepts, commonly used in hydrology. In contrast to other hydrological texts, instead of presenting abstract mathematical hydrology, the essential mathematics is explained with the help of real-world hydrological examples.

Detailed guidance on the mathematics behind equity derivatives Problems and Solutions in Mathematical Finance Volume II is an innovative reference for quantitative practitioners and students, providing guidance through a range of mathematical problems encountered in the finance industry. This volume focuses solely on equity derivatives problems, beginning with basic problems in derivatives securities before moving on to more advanced applications, including the construction of volatility surfaces to price exotic options. By providing a methodology for solving theoretical and practical problems, whilst explaining the limitations of financial models, this book helps readers to develop the skills they need to advance their careers. The text covers a wide range of derivatives pricing, such as European, American, Asian, Barrier and other exotic options. Extensive appendices provide a summary of important formulae from calculus, theory of probability, and differential equations, for the convenience of readers. As Volume II of the four-volume Problems and Solutions in Mathematical Finance series, this book provides clear explanation of the mathematics behind equity derivatives, in order to help readers gain a deeper understanding of their mechanics and a firmer grasp of the calculations. Review the fundamentals of equity derivatives Work through problems from basic securities to advanced exotics pricing Examine numerical methods and detailed derivations of closed-form solutions Utilise formulae for probability, differential equations, and more Mathematical finance relies on mathematical models, numerical methods, computational algorithms and simulations to make trading, hedging, and investment decisions. For the practitioners and graduate students of quantitative finance, Problems and Solutions in Mathematical Finance Volume II provides essential guidance principally towards the subject of equity derivatives.

Mathematical finance has grown into a huge area of research which requires a lot of care and a large number of sophisticated mathematical tools. Mathematically rigorous and yet accessible to advanced level practitioners and mathematicians alike, it considers various aspects of the application of statistical methods in finance and illustrates some of the many ways that statistical tools are used in financial applications. Financial Statistics and Mathematical Finance: Provides an introduction to the basics of financial statistics and mathematical finance. Explains the use and importance of statistical methods in econometrics and financial engineering. Illustrates the importance of derivatives and calculus to aid understanding in methods and results. Looks at advanced topics such as martingale theory, stochastic processes and stochastic integration. Features examples throughout to illustrate applications in mathematical and statistical finance. Is supported by an accompanying website featuring R code and data sets. Financial Statistics and Mathematical Finance introduces the financial methodology and the relevant mathematical tools in a style that is both mathematically rigorous and yet accessible to advanced level practitioners and mathematicians alike, both graduate students and researchers in statistics, finance, econometrics and business administration will benefit from this book.

The third edition of Ethics in Finance presents an authoritative and wide-ranging examination of the major ethical issues in finance. This new edition has been expanded and thoroughly updated with extensive coverage of the recent financial crisis and the very latest developments within the financial world. Substantially updated new edition with nearly 40% new material, including sections on credit cards, mortgage lending, microfinance, risk management, derivatives, and securitization Includes coverage and references to the recent financial crisis and the very latest developments within the financial world Focuses on the practical issues that confront finance professionals, policy makers, and consumers of financial services Cites examples of the scandals that have shaken public confidence in Wall Street and world financial markets Includes numerous examples throughout to illustrate the concepts and issues described within the text

Project finance has spread worldwide and includes numerous industrial projects from power stations and waste-disposal plants to telecommunication facilities, bridges, tunnels, railway networks, and now also the building of hospitals, education facilities, government accommodation and tourist facilities. Despite financial assessment of PF projects being fundamental to the lender’s decision, there is little understanding of how the use of finance is perceived by individual stakeholders; why and how a financial assessment is performed; who should be involved; where and when it should be performed; what data should be used; and how financial assessments should be presented. Current uncertainty in financial markets makes many sponsors of construction project financings carefully consider bank liquidity, the higher cost of finance, and general uncertainty for demand. This has resulted in the postponement of a number of projects in certain industry sectors. Governments have seen tax receipts drastically reduced which has affected their ability to finance infrastructure projects, often irrespective of the perceived demand. Equity providers still seek to invest, however there are less opportunities due to market dislocation. Due to the demand for global infrastructure it is believed that project financings will return to their pre-crunch levels, or more so, however lenders’ liquidity costs will be passed on to the borrowers. Lenders will also be under stricter regulation both internally and externally. The steps outlined in the guide are designed to provide a basic understanding for all those involved or interested in both structuring and assessing project financings. Secondary contracts involving constructors, operators, finance providers, suppliers and offtakers can be developed and assessed to determine their commercial viability over a projects life cycle. Special Features a structured guide to assessing the commercial viability of construction projects explains economic metrics to use in the decision making process detailed case study shows how stakeholders apply the concept of project finance

This book is a detailed and step-by-step introduction to the mathematical foundations of ordinary and partial differential equations, their approximation by the finite difference method and applications to computational finance. The book is structured so that it can be read by beginners, novices and expert users. Part A Mathematical Foundation for One-Factor Problems Chapters 1 to 7 introduce the mathematical and numerical analysis concepts that are needed to understand the finite difference method and its application to computational finance. Part B Mathematical Foundation for Two-Factor Problems Chapters 8 to 13 discuss a number of rigorous mathematical techniques relating to elliptic and parabolic partial differential equations in two space variables. In particular, we develop strategies to preprocess and modify a PDE before we approximate it by the finite difference method, thus avoiding ad-hoc and heuristic tricks. Part C The Foundations of the Finite Difference Method (FDM) Chapters 14 to 17 introduce the mathematical background to the finite difference method for initial boundary value problems for parabolic PDEs. It encapsulates all the background information to construct stable and accurate finite difference schemes. Part D Advanced Finite Difference Schemes for Two-Factor Problems Chapters 18 to 22 introduce a number of modern finite difference methods to approximate the solution of two factor partial differential equations. This is the only book we know of that discusses these methods in any detail. Part E Test Cases in Computational Finance Chapters 23 to 26 are concerned with applications based on previous chapters. We discuss finite difference schemes for a wide range of one-factor and two-factor problems. This book is suitable as an entry-level introduction as well as a detailed treatment of modern methods as used by industry quants and MSc/MFE students in finance. The topics have applications to numerical analysis, science and engineering. More on computational finance and the author’s online courses, see www.datasim.nl.

A comprehensive introduction to various numerical methods used in computational finance today Quantitative skills are a prerequisite for anyone working in finance or beginning a career in the field, as well as risk managers. A thorough grounding in numerical methods is necessary, as is the ability to assess their quality, advantages, and limitations. This book offers a thorough introduction to each method, revealing the numerical traps that practitioners frequently fall into. Each method is referenced with practical, real-world examples in the areas of valuation, risk analysis, and calibration of specific financial instruments and models. It features a strong emphasis on robust schemes for the numerical treatment of problems within computational finance. Methods covered include PDE/PIDE using finite differences or finite elements, fast and stable solvers for sparse grid systems, stabilization and regularization techniques for inverse problems resulting from the calibration of financial models to market data, Monte Carlo and Quasi Monte Carlo techniques for simulating high dimensional systems, and local and global optimization tools to solve the minimization problem.

The 5th edition of Model Building in Mathematical Programming discusses the general principles of model building in mathematical programming and demonstrates how they can be applied by using several simplified but practical problems from widely different contexts. Suggested formulations and solutions are given together with some computational experience to give the reader a feel for the computational difficulty of solving that particular type of model. Furthermore, this book illustrates the scope and limitations of mathematical programming, and shows how it can be applied to real situations. By emphasizing the importance of the building and interpreting of models rather than the solution process, the author attempts to fill a gap left by the many works which concentrate on the algorithmic side of the subject. In this article, H.P. Williams explains his original motivation and objectives in writing the book, how it has been modified and updated over the years, what is new in this edition and why it has maintained its relevance and popularity over the years: http://www.statisticsviews.com/details/feature/4566481/Model-Building-in-Mathematical-Programming-published-in-fifth-edition.html