Continuous time Markov chain (CTMC) approximation is an intuitive and powerful method for pricing options in general Markovian models. This paper analyzes how grid design affects the convergence behavior of barrier and European options in general diffusion models. Using the spectral method, we obtain sharp estimates for the convergence rate of option price for non-uniform grids. We propose to calculate an option's delta and gamma by taking central difference of option prices on the grid. For this simple method, we prove that, surprisingly, delta and gamma converge at the same rate as option price does. Our analysis allows us to develop principles that are sufficient and necessary for designing nonuniform grids that can achieve second order convergence for option price, delta and gamma. Based on these principles, we propose a novel class of non-uniform grids, which ensures that convergence is not only second order, but also smooth. This further allows extrapolation to be applied to achieve even higher convergence rate. Our grids enable the CTMC approximation method to price and hedge a large number of options with different strikes fast and accurately. Applicability of our results to jump models is discussed through numerical examples.

Mijatovic and Pistorius (Math. Finance, 2013) proposed an efficient Markov chain approximation method for pricing European and barrier options in general one-dimensional Markovian models. However, sharp convergence rates of this method for realistic financial payoffs, which are non-smooth, are rarely available. In this paper, we solve this problem for general one-dimensional diffusion models, which play a fundamental role in financial applications. For such models, the Markov chain approximation method is equivalent to the method of lines using the central difference. Our analysis is based on the spectral representation of the exact solution and the approximate solution. By establishing the convergence rate for the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions, we obtain sharp convergence rates for the transition density and the price of options with non-smooth payoffs. In particular, we show that for call-/put-type payoffs, convergence is second order, while for digital-type payoffs, convergence is generally only first order. Furthermore, we provide theoretical justification for two well-known smoothing techniques that can restore second-order convergence for digital-type payoffs and explain oscillations observed in the convergence for options with non-smooth payoffs. As an extension, we also establish sharp convergence rates for European options for a rich class of Markovian jump models constructed from diffusions via subordination. The theoretical estimates are confirmed using numerical examples.

Continuous time Markov Chain (CTMC) approximation techniques have received increasing attention in the option pricing literature, due to their ability to solve complex pricing problems, although existing approaches are mostly limited to one or two dimensions. This paper develops a general methodology for modeling and pricing financial derivatives which depend on systems of stochastic diffusion processes. This is accomplished with a general de-correlation procedure, which reduces the system of correlated diffusions to an uncorrelated system. This enables simple and efficient approximation of the driving processes by uni-variate CTMC approximations. Weak convergence of the approximation is demonstrated, with second order convergence in space. Numerical experiments demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the method for various European and early-exercise options in two and three dimensions.

We propose a non-equidistant Q rate matrix setting formula such that a well-defined continuous time Markov chain can lead to excellent approximations to jump-diffusions with affine or non-affine functional specifications. This approach also accommodates state-dependent jump intensity and jump distribution, a fexibility that is very hard to achieve with traditional numerical methods. Our approach not only satisfies Kushner (1990) local consistency conditions but also resolves the approximation errors induced by Piccioni (1987) scheme. European stock option pricing examples based on jump-diffusions illustrate the ease of implementation of our model. The proposed algorithm for pricing American options highlights the speed and accuracy. Finally the empirical analysis using daily VIX data shows that the maximum likelihood estimates of the underlying jump-diffusions can be efficiently computed by the model proposed in this article.

In this chapter, we present recent developments in using the tools of continuous-time Markov chains for the valuation of European and path-dependent financial derivatives. We also survey results on a newly proposed regime switching approximation to stochastic volatility, and stochastic local volatility models. The presented framework is part of an exciting recent stream of literature on numerical option pricing, and offers a new perspective that combines the theory of diffusion processes, Markov chains, and Fourier techniques. It is also elegantly connected to partial differential equation (PDE) approaches.