Title
Demand in the Option Market and the Pricing Kernel
Author(s)
Caio Almeida Caio Almeida (Princeton University)
Gustavo Freire Gustavo Freire (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
Abstract
We show that net demand in the S&P 500 option market is fundamental to explain empirical puzzles related to the pricing kernel. When public investors (non-market makers) are exposed to variance risk by net-selling out-of-the-money (OTM) options, the pricing kernel is U-shaped, expected option returns are low and the variance risk premium is high. Conversely, when public investors are protected against variance risk by net-buying OTM options, the pricing kernel is decreasing in market returns, expected option returns are high and the variance risk premium is low. Our findings support equilibrium models with heterogeneous agents in which options are nonredundant.
Creation Date
2022-12
Section URL ID
Paper Number
2022-32
URL
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4314173
File Function
Jel
G11, G12, G13
Keyword(s)
Pricing Kernel, Option Returns, Option Demand, Market Makers, Risk Premium
Suppress
false
Series
13