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NYIF: Option Contracts, Participants, Strategies, and Pricing

Learn about the basics of option pricing, discounting, future valuing, and the Law of No-arbitrage.

Option Contracts, Participants, Strategies, and Pricing
3 weeks
1–2 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Cost to Enroll
$215 USD

There is one session available:

After a course session ends, it will be archivedOpens in a new tab.
Starts Mar 28

About this course

Skip About this course

In this course, we'll address the basics of option pricing. We'll provide a short review of discounting and future value and also discuss the Law of No-arbitrage, along with examples that illustrate its utility in pricing.

We will also define two basic option types, call and puts, and explain their payoffs. The six key inputs that determine option prices will be examined and the relationship of each input’s effect on the call price and put price will be evaluated. The survey of the types of participants in options markets will also be discussed. The trading strategies used by these participants will be presented, both with single options, as well as with combinations of options. Next, option pricing will be analyzed in detail. First, a binomial model is used to compute the price of an option in discrete time. The underlying assumption of no-arbitrage is addressed again as the option is priced going backward in time, from option expiration to the present. The hedge ratio at each node is calculated to emphasize the notion of replication. Then the Black Scholes formula will be derived, along with explanations of the assumptions underlying the model. The mathematics are carefully interpreted at each step, resulting in an intuitive description of the partial derivatives, or Greek sensitivities, within the Black Scholes partial differential equation.

At a glance

  • Institution: NYIF
  • Subject: Economics & Finance
  • Level: Introductory
  • Prerequisites:
    • • Intermediate MS Excel skills (use solver, etc.)
    • • Basic probability
    • • Basic calculus
    • • Some knowledge of equity markets
    • Knowledge of fixed income basics
  • Language: English
  • Video Transcripts: اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ, Deutsch, English, Español, Français, हिन्दी, Bahasa Indonesia, Português, Kiswahili, తెలుగు, Türkçe, 中文
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills:Modern Greek, Trading Strategy, Derivatives, Arbitrage

What you'll learn

Skip What you'll learn
  • Provide the foundation of handling cash flows and implied forward rates from no-arbitrage.

  • Define the payoffs of vanilla calls and puts, and the six factors affecting their pricing.

  • Identify market participants and illustrate the option strategies they use.

  • Derive vanilla option prices using binomial trees, Black Scholes, and Monte Carlo simulations.

  • Provide intuition both in the Black Scholes partial differential equation and the formula.

Module 01: The Basics

Module 02: Option Contracts

Module 03: Participants and Strategies

Module 04: Option Pricing

Module 05: Review

This course is part of Derivatives Professional Certificate Program

Learn more 
Expert instruction
6 skill-building courses
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
4 months
1 - 2 hours per week

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