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Deriving the Hull–White Zero-Coupon Bond Pricing Formula

Article Quant Q&A · Author: user89877

Summary

The document derives a zero-coupon bond pricing expression in the one-factor Hull–White short-rate model and connects it to the initial term structure. It gives the model’s mean-reverting short-rate dynamics, the exponential-affine bond price, and formulas for the functions governing that price. The derivation substitutes the drift adjustment calibrated to the initial instantaneous forward curve, then uses integration by parts and the relationship between forward rates, discount factors, and yields to simplify the expression for the bond-price prefactor.

The resulting form expresses that prefactor using initial yields, the instantaneous forward rate, and a volatility adjustment. This is a symbolic derivation rather than an empirical study: it supplies no market data or calibration results. It assumes the stated Hull–White model and smoothness sufficient to differentiate and integrate the forward curve. The source text also contains apparent notation slips in one intermediate line, so readers should check the equations carefully when reproducing the algebra.

Key ideas

  • Hull–White bond prices have an exponential-affine form in the current short rate.
  • The bond loading function depends on mean reversion and time to maturity.
  • The drift adjustment is calibrated to the initial instantaneous forward curve.
  • Integration by parts links the forward-curve integral to initial bond prices and yields.
  • The final prefactor includes a volatility correction that depends on elapsed time and maturity.

Tags

Full text
# zero coupon bond pricing formula using Hull White


# zero coupon bond pricing formula using Hull White












I am having some trouble to understand the derivation of the parameters of zero coupon pricing formula using Hull White. Specifically I am trying to understand how to get

--[1]

where is the continuously compounded zero spot rate:

and is the initial instantaneous forward rate curve

I understand the process to get below:

--[2]

and

---[3]

Can someone please help me with deriving [1] from [2] or [3]?

Thanks very much in advance.

## Answer by Gordon (score 3, accepted)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/31998

Under the Hull-White interest rate model, the short rate $r_t$ satisfies a risk-neutral SDE of the form \begin{align*} dr_t = (\theta(t)-a r_t)dt+ \sigma dW_t. \end{align*} The price at time $t$ of a zero-coupon bond with maturity $T$ and unit face value is then given by \begin{align*} P(t, T) &= A(t, T) e^{-B(t, T) r_t}, \end{align*} where \begin{align*} B(t, T) &= \frac{1}{a}\Big(1-e^{-a(T-t)} \Big),\\ A(t, T) &= \exp\left(- \int_t^T \theta(u) B(u, T) du -\frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\big(B(t, T) -T+t\big)-\frac{\sigma^2}{4a}B(t, T)^2\right), \tag{1}\\ \theta(t) &= af^M(0, t) +\frac{\partial f^M(0, t)}{\partial t}+\frac{\sigma^2}{2a}\left(1-e^{-2at}\right), \\ \end{align*} and \begin{align*} f^M(0, t) &= -\frac{\partial \ln P(0, t)}{\partial t}. \end{align*} Note that, \begin{align*} \ln P(0, T) = -\int_0^T f^M(0, u) du. \end{align*} Moreover, we define the yield-to-maturity $R(t, T)$ by \begin{align*} R(t, T) &=\frac{-\ln P(t, T)}{T-t}. \end{align*} We show that \begin{align*} \ln A(t, T) &= \left[tR(0, t)-TR(0, T) \right] + B(t, T)f^M(0, t) -\frac{\sigma^2}{4a}\left(1-e^{-2at} \right)B(t, T)^2.\tag{2} \end{align*}

Note that, \begin{align*} & \ \int_t^T \frac{\partial f^M(0, u)}{\partial u}B(u, T) \\ =&\ f^M(0, u)B(u, T)\, \big|_t^T - \int_t^T f^M(0, u)\frac{\partial B(u, T)}{\partial u}du\\ =&\ -f^M(0, t)B(t, T) + \int_t^T f^M(0, u) e^{-a(T-u)} du\\ =&\ -f^M(0, t)B(t, T) - a\int_t^T f^M(0, u) B(u, T) du + \int_t^T f^M(0, u)du. \end{align*} That is, \begin{align*} &\ a\int_t^T f^M(0, u) B(u, T) du + \int_t^T \frac{\partial f^M(0, u)}{\partial T}B(u, T) \\ =&\ -f^M(0, t)B(t, T)+\int_t^T f^M(0, u)du\\ =&\ -f^M(0, t)B(t, T)- \ln P(0, T)+\ln(0, t)\\ =&\ -f^M(0, t)B(t, T)+ TR(0, T)-tR(0, t). \end{align*} Then \begin{align*} &\ \int_t^T \frac{\sigma^2}{2a}\left(1-e^{-2au}\right) B(u, T) du \\ =&\ \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\int_t^T \left(1-e^{-2au}\right)\left(1-e^{-a(T-u)} \right)du\\ =&\ \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\int_t^T \left(1-e^{-2au} - e^{-a(T-u)} + e^{-a(T+u)}\right)du\\ =&\ \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\left[T-t+\frac{1}{2a}\left(e^{-2aT}-e^{-2at} \right) + \frac{1}{a}\left(1-e^{-a(T-t)} \right) -\frac{1}{a}\left(e^{-2aT}-e^{-a(T+t)}\right) \right] \\ =&\ \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\left[\big(T-t- B(t, T)\big) + \frac{1}{2a}e^{-2at}\left(-e^{-2a(T-t)}-1 +2e^{-a(T-t)} \right)\right]\\ =&\ \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\big(T-t- B(t, T)\big) - \frac{\sigma^2}{4a}e^{-2at}B(t, T)^2. \end{align*} Therefore, \begin{align*} &\ \ln A(t, T) \\ =&\ - \int_t^T \theta(u) B(u, T) du -\frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\big(B(t, T) -T+t\big)-\frac{\sigma^2}{4a}B(t, T)^2\\ =&\ f^M(0, t)B(t, T)+ tR(0, t)- TR(0, T)- \frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\big(T-t- B(t, T)\big) + \frac{\sigma^2}{4a}e^{-2at}B(t, T)^2\\ &\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad -\frac{\sigma^2}{2a^2}\big(B(t, T) -T+t\big)-\frac{\sigma^2}{4a}B(t, T)^2\\ =&\ \big(tR(0, t)- TR(0, T)\big)+f^M(0, t)B(t, T) - \frac{\sigma^2}{4a}\left(1-e^{-2at} \right)B(t, T)^2, \end{align*} which is the required Claim $(2)$ above.

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