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Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 24 No. 1 1989

Stock-price volatility, mean-reverting diffusion, and noise

Larry J. Merville; Dan R. Pieptea

The University of Texas at Dallas

Abstract

Using weekly call option prices on twenty-five stocks over a ten-year period (1975–1985) and calls on the S&P 500 stock-index futures, we find that ex ante market volatility follows a mixed mean-reverting diffusion with noise process. Changes in volatility are correlated across stocks and a marketwide volatility effect is found. Strong forces pull the volatility back to its long-term value. The findings suggest the development of new option pricing models.

DOI
10.1016/0304-405x(89)90078-0
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
193-214
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref bibtex:phds-export.bib

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