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dreamonstreet
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Joined: March 30th, 2004, 1:44 pm

arbitrage question

August 29th, 2008, 3:08 am

Suppose that a long put with strike $100 is selling for $10, and a long callwith strike $110 (on the same stock with same maturity T) is selling for $11.5. The spot price of the asset is $100, and discount exp^(-rT)=0.9. Does an arbitrage exist? If yes, how to construct it? If no, how to prove it?
 
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Paolos
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Joined: November 12th, 2004, 2:15 pm

arbitrage question

August 29th, 2008, 8:42 am

Yes an arbitrage exists:From put-call parity the value of 110$ strike put is:Selling 11 put with strike 100 and buying 10 put with strike 110 you get 5$The payoff at maturity T is always >=0 P.
 
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Paolos
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Joined: November 12th, 2004, 2:15 pm

arbitrage question

August 29th, 2008, 8:55 am

If there aren't 110 strike put quoted on the market you can create them synthetically setting up this strategy:Sell 11 put with strike 100, buy 10 call with strike 110, sell 10 shares:You get immediately 11*10 - 10*11.5 +10* 100=995$Investing 995$ at the risk free rate you obtain at maturity 995/0.9 = 1105.556$The payoff at maturity of this strategy is always >=-1100P.
 
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daveangel
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Joined: October 20th, 2003, 4:05 pm

arbitrage question

August 29th, 2008, 3:27 pm

it seems there is an arbitrage. if I sold the 100 put @ 10 and bought the 110 call @ 11.5 and sold short 1 unit of stock @ 100, I am left with 98.5 which I deposit and get back 109.44. at maturity there are 3 scenarios:1. the stock is below 100, I get assigned on my short put. So I pay 100 and leaving me with 9.44 net. 2. the stock is above 110, I exercise my calls pay 110 and am left short of 0.56. 3. stock is between 100 and 110, I make money but the amount declines with stock price. my interest is 9.44 and lose 1 for every point the stock is above 100 until the stock reaches 109.44 which is my break even. above this my cost is 0.56.
Last edited by daveangel on August 28th, 2008, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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