[This article shows that the one-state-variable interest-rate models of Vasicek (1977) and Cox, Ingersoll, and Ross (1985b) can be extended so that they are consistent with both the current term structure of interest rates and either the current volatilities of all spot interest rates or the current volatilities of all forward interest rates. The extended Vasicek model is shown to be very tractable analytically. The article compares option prices obtained using the extended Vasicek model with those obtained using a number of other models.]

John Hull, Alan White, One-Factor Interest-Rate Models and the Valuation of Interest-Rate Derivative Securities, The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Jun., 1993), pp. 235-254

This paper suggests a modification to the explicit finite difference method for valuing derivative securities. The modification ensures that, as smaller time intervals are considered, the calculated values of the derivative security converge to the solution of the underlying differential equation. It can be used to value any derivative security dependent on a single state variable and can be extended to deal with many derivative security pricing problems where there are several state variables. The paper illustrates the approach by using it to value bonds and bond options under two different interest rate processes.

This paper presents a generalized version of the lattice approach to pricing options. It shows how the control variate technique can produce significant improvements in the efficiency of the approach. The control variate technique is illustrated using American puts on dividend and nondividend paying stocks.

This article shows that the one-state-variable interest-rate models of Vasicek (1977) and Cox, Ingersoll, and Ross (1985b) can be extended so that they are consistent with both the current term structure of interest rates and either the current volatilities of all spot interest rates or the current volatilities of all forward interest rates. The extended Vasicek model is shown to be very tractable analytically. The article compares option prices obtained using the extended Vasicek model with those obtained using a number of other models.

As has been pointed out by a number of researchers, the normally calculated delta does not minimize the variance of changes in the value of a trader's position. This is because there is a non-zero correlation between movements in the price of the underlying asset and movements in the asset's volatility. The minimum variance delta takes account of both price changes and the expected change in volatility conditional on a price change. This paper determines empirically a model for the minimum variance delta. We test the model using data on options on the S&P 500 and show that it is an improvement over stochastic volatility models, even when the latter are calibrated afresh each day for each option maturity. We also present results for options on the S&P 100, the Dow Jones, individual stocks, and commodity and interest-rate ETFs.

One option‐pricing problem that has hitherto been unsolved is the pricing of a European call on an asset that has a stochastic volatility. This paper examines this problem. The option price is determined in series form for the case in which the stochastic volatility is independent of the stock price. Numerical solutions are also produced for the case in which the volatility is correlated with the stock price. It is found that the Black‐Scholes price frequently overprices options and that the degree of overpricing increases with the time to maturity.

A company’s credit default swap spread is the cost per annum for protection against a default by the company. In this paper we analyze data on credit default swap spreads collected by a credit derivatives broker. We first examine the relationship between credit default spreads and bond yields and reach conclusions on the benchmark risk-free rate used by participants in the credit derivatives market. We then carry out a series of tests to explore the extent to which credit rating announcements by Moody’s are anticipated by participants in the credit default swap market.