Handbook

Modern theory of financial markets relies on advanced mathematical statistical methods that are used to model, forecast and manage risk in complex financial transactions. After the publication in 1973 of the ground-breaking paper of Black and Scholes on the arbitrage pricing of European call options, Stochastic Analysis became an indispensable tool for the theory of financial markets, derivation of prices of standard and exotic options and other derivative securities, hedging-related financial risk, as well as managing the interest rate risk. This is a postgraduate level course in which you will learn the basic concepts and techniques of Stochastic Analysis, such as Brownian motion, Ito stochastic integral, Ito's formula, changes of measures, stochastic differential equations and their relations to second-order partial differential equations, and Feynman-Kac formula. The course has only a lecture component. Pre-requisites: 24 units of level III mathematics or a degree in a numerate discipline or permission of the Head of School.