Option Valuation with Long-run and Short-run Volatility Components

This paper presents a new model for the valuation of European options. In our model, the volatility of returns consists of two components. One of these components is a long-run component, and it can be modeled as fully persistent. The other component is short-run and has a zero mean. Our model can be viewed as an affine version of Engle and Lee (1999), allowing for easy valuation of European options. We investigate the model through an integrated analysis of returns and options data. The performance of the model is spectacular when compared to a benchmark single-component volatility model that is well-established in the literature. The improvement in the model's performance is due to its richer dynamics which enable it to jointly model long-maturity and short-maturity options
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