Probability-Free Models in Option Pricing: Statistically Indistinguishable Dynamics and Historical vs Implied Volatility

Damiano Brigo

Chapter 4 in Options — 45 Years since the Publication of the Black–Scholes–Merton Model:The Gershon Fintech Center Conference, 2023, pp 47-61 from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract: We investigate whether it is possible to formulate option pricing and hedging models without using probability. We present a model that is consistent with two notions of volatility: a historical volatility consistent with statistical analysis, and an implied volatility consistent with options priced with the model. The latter will be also the quadratic variation of the model, a pathwise property. This first result, originally presented in [10,11], is then connected with the recent work of Armstrong et al. [1,2], where using rough paths theory it is shown that implied volatility is associated with a purely pathwise lift of the stock dynamics involving no probability and no semimartingale theory in particular, leading to option models without probability. Finally, an intermediate result by Bender et al. [5] is recalled. Using semimartingale theory, Bender et al. showed that one could obtain option prices based only on the semimartingale quadratic variation of the model, a pathwise property, and highlighted the difference between historical and implied volatility. All three works confirm the idea that while historical volatility is a statistical quantity, implied volatility is a pathwise one. This leads to a 20 years mini-anniversary of pathwise pricing through 1998, 2008 and 2018, which is rather fitting for a talk presented at the conference for the 45 years of the Black, Scholes and Merton (BSM) option pricing paradigm.

Keywords: Options; Call; Put; Stock; Equity; Bond; Debt; Dividend; Investment; Diversification; Volatility; Black–Scholes; Merton Model; Stochastic; Swap; Commodity; Index; Contingent Claims; Exotic Option (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C C02 G1 G11 G12 G15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Working Paper: Probability-free models in option pricing: statistically indistinguishable dynamics and historical vs implied volatility (2021)
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