Linking a vanilla call and a cash digital
Question
Draw the value of a vanilla call and of a digital (cash-or-nothing) call as functions of spot, and describe the relationship between them.
Short answer
The digital is minus the strike derivative of the call. The vanilla is a convex curve rising from zero to roughly ; the digital is an S-shaped curve from up to , steepest near the strike. A tight call spread, long calls at and short at , converges to the digital, so .
Adapted from Joshi, Denson & Downes, Quant Job Interview Questions and Answers, Q2.23, p.18; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.
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Open the worked solutionLessons behind this question
- Barrier Options
- Option Mechanics: Calls, Puts, Moneyness, Intrinsic Value, and Exchange vs. OTC Markets
- Option Trading Strategies: Spreads, Combinations, and Payoff Engineering
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