A Monte Carlo Approach to Pricing: An Exotic Currency Derivative Structure

Ivan O. Asensio
M.S., 2004
Advisor: Yingnian Wu

This paper presents a non-analytic simulation framework for pricing a complex foreign currency
derivative structure. The paper will establish that currency prices move according to a stochastic process, and more specifically that currency returns follow an Ito process with a specified expected mean and variance. Monte Carlo simulation is used for generating random realizations of the currency, creating an entire distribution of potential paths. The price of the structure is estimated by taking an arithmetic average of the discounted payoffs for the structure at each of the paths. Results of this study will be validated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
2004