Skip to content
All library documents

Ho-Lee Short-Rate Bond Pricing and the Feynman-Kac PDE

Article Quant Q&A · Author: koji

Summary

The document works through zero-coupon bond pricing in the Ho-Lee short-rate model, where the short rate has constant drift and volatility. It asks for the pricing partial differential equation, a bond-price formula obtained from the conditional expectation of discounted rates, and a check that the formula satisfies the PDE and terminal condition. The proposed derivation uses the Feynman-Kac theorem and decomposes the future rate into the current rate, deterministic drift, and Brownian increments.

The resulting expression includes the current short rate, the drift over the bond’s remaining maturity, and a volatility adjustment arising from the integrated Brownian term. The document also differentiates the proposed formula and substitutes those derivatives into the PDE. It is a worked mathematical example, but it is presented as the author’s own solution rather than an independently checked treatment. Readers should verify the conditioning and stochastic-integral steps before relying on the derivation in valuation work.

Key ideas

  • The Ho-Lee short rate evolves with constant drift and volatility.
  • The bond price is expressed as a conditional expectation of discounted future short rates.
  • The Feynman-Kac theorem gives a pricing PDE with a terminal value of one.
  • Integrating the Brownian component produces a volatility adjustment in the bond-price expression.
  • The proposed formula is checked by substitution into the PDE, though its derivation should be independently verified.

Tags

Full text
# The Ho-Lee Model (1986)


# The Ho-Lee Model (1986)












### (My question)

I solved the following questions. However, if you know the other solutions, please let me know those along with computation processes. Besides, $W_t$ is a S.B.M.

(Thank you for your help in advance.)

### (Cross-Link)

I have posted the same question on https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3332466/the-ho-lee-model-1986?fbclid=IwAR3OzlLsRHlNIynul_JEhc2d6e9dpVHt0kDuctV3CKk6rtx4gkcz3-2DRb8

### (Original questions)

Consider a short term interest rate process $(r_t)_{ t \in \mathbb{R}_+ }$ in the Ho-Lee Model with constant coefficients: \begin{eqnarray} dr_t = \theta dt + \sigma dW_t \end{eqnarray} and let $P(t, T)$ will denote the arbitrage price of a zero-coupon bond in this model: \begin{eqnarray} P(t, T) = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t r_s ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \end{eqnarray} where $t \in [0, T]$.

(1) State the bond pricing PDE satisfied by the function $F(t, x)$ defined via \begin{eqnarray} F(t, x) = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t r_s ds \right) | r_t=x \right] \end{eqnarray} where $t \in [0, T]$.

(2) Compute the arbitrage price $F(t, r_t) =P(t, T)$ from its expression of $P(t, T)$ as a conditional expectation.

(3) Check that the function $F(t, x)$ computed in Question (2) does satisfy the PDE derived in Question (1).

### (1) My answer

- One can derive the following PDE by Feynman-Kac Theorem. \begin{eqnarray} F(t, x) &=& E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t r_s ds \right) | r_t=x \right] \\ \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) F(t, x) &=& E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_0 r_s ds \right) | r_t=x \right] \end{eqnarray}

- One adapts It$\hat{o}$'s formula the above equation. Here, one has to pay attention that the R.H.S is zero because it is a constant value, namely an expectation value. Moreover, $F(T, x)=1$ by the R.H.S going to $1$ because of $t=T$. \begin{eqnarray} && d\left( \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) F(t, x) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \left( -r_t F(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) \right) dt \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \partial_x F(t, x) dr_t \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \frac{1}{2} \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \partial_{xx} F(t, x) d[r_t] \end{eqnarray}

- One substitutes $r_t$ into the above equation. \begin{eqnarray} && d\left( \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) F(t, x) \right) \nonumber \\ && = \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \left( -r_t F(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) \right) dt \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \partial_x F(t, x) \left( \theta dt + \sigma dW_t \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \frac{1}{2} \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \partial_{xx} F(t, x) \sigma^2 dt \\ && = \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \left( -r_t F(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) + \theta \partial_x F(t, x) + \frac{1}{2} \sigma^2 \partial_{xx} F(t, x) \right) dt \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \exp \left( - \int^t_0 r_s ds \right) \sigma \partial_x F(t, x) dW_t \end{eqnarray}

- Since the coefficient of the drift term is zero due to the martingale property of S.D.E, the following equation is obtained. Here, one has to pay attention to $r_t=x$. \begin{eqnarray} && -r_t F(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) + \theta \partial_x F(t, x) + \frac{1}{2} \sigma^2 \partial_{xx} F(t, x) =0 \\ && -xF(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) + \theta \partial_x F(t, x) + \frac{1}{2} \sigma^2 \partial_{xx} F(t, x) =0 \end{eqnarray}

$\square$

### (2) My answer

- Compute S.I.E by the given S.D.E. \begin{eqnarray} dr_t &=& \theta dt + \sigma dW_t \\ r_t &=& r_0 + \theta t + \sigma W_t \end{eqnarray}

- Let $x=r_t$: \begin{eqnarray} && F(t, x) \\ &&= F(t, r_t) \\ &&= E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t r_s ds \right) | r_t=x \right] \\ &&= E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t \left( r_0 + \theta s + \sigma W_s \right) ds\right) | \mathcal{F}_t\right] \\ &&= E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t \left( \left( r_0 + \theta t + \sigma W_t\right)+ \theta (s-t) + \sigma( W_s -W_t) \right) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t\right] \\ &&= E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \int^T_t \left( r_t + \theta (s-t) + \sigma( W_s -W_t) \right) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t\right] \\ \end{eqnarray}

- Here, one computes $exp$. \begin{eqnarray} && \exp \left( - \int^T_t \left( r_t + \theta (s-t) + \sigma( W_s -W_t) \right) ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t \int^T_t ds \right) \cdot \exp \left( - \theta \int^T_t (s-t) ds \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t (T-t) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \theta \frac{1}{2} (T^2- t^2) + \theta t(T-t) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t (T-t) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \theta (T-t) \left( \frac{1}{2} (T + t) - t\right) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t (T-t) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \theta (T-t) \left( \frac{1}{2} (T - t) \right) \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t)ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t (T-t) \right) \cdot \exp \left( - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 \ \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) \\ && \qquad =\exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) \\ \end{eqnarray}

- Substitute the above result into the Expectation. \begin{eqnarray} && F(t, r_t) \\ &&= E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \\ &&= \exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \end{eqnarray}

- One computes the above expectation value as below. \begin{eqnarray} &&E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t W_{s-t} ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( \int^{T-t}_0 \left( - \sigma W_s \right) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \end{eqnarray}

- Here, It$\hat{o}$'s formula is applied to the exponent part, and further calculation is performed. \begin{eqnarray} d \left( - \sigma W_s s \right) &=& - \sigma W_s ds - \sigma s d W_s + \frac{1}{2} 0 d [W_s] \\ &=& - \sigma W_s ds - \sigma s d W_s \\ \int^{T-t}_0 d \left( - \sigma W_s s \right) &=& \int^{T-t}_0 \left( - \sigma W_s \right) ds - \sigma \int^{T-t}_0 s d W_s \\ - \sigma W_{T-t} (T-t) &=& \int^{T-t}_0 \left( - \sigma W_s \right) ds - \sigma \int^{T-t}_0 s d W_s \\ \int^{T-t}_0 \left( - \sigma W_s \right) ds &=& - \sigma W_{T-t} (T-t) + \int^{T-t}_0 \sigma s d W_s \\ &=& - \sigma (T-t) \int^{T-t}_0 d W_s + \int^{T-t}_0 \sigma s d W_s \\ &=& \sigma \int^{T-t}_0 \left( s- (T-t) \right) d W_s \\ &=& \int^{T-t}_0 \left( \sigma \left( s- (T-t) \right) \right) d W_s \\ \end{eqnarray}

- Substitute the above result into the expectation. \begin{eqnarray} &&E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( \int^{T-t}_0 \left( - \sigma W_s \right) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( \int^{T-t}_0 \left( \sigma \left( s - (T-t)\right) \right) d W_s \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = \exp \left( \frac{ \sigma^2}{2} \int^{T-t}_0 \left( s - (T-t) \right)^2 ds \right) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = \exp \left( \frac{ \sigma^2}{2} \left[ \frac{1}{3} \left( s - (T-t) \right)^3 \right]^{T-t}_0 \right) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = \exp \left( \frac{ \sigma^2}{6} (T-t)^3 \right) \end{eqnarray}

- Substitute the above result into the Expectation of the $F(t, r_t)$ equation. \begin{eqnarray} && F(t, r_t) \\ &&= \exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 \right) \nonumber \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \cdot E^{ \mathbb{P} } \left[ \exp \left( - \sigma \int^T_t ( W_s -W_t) ds \right) | \mathcal{F}_t \right] \\ &&= \exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 \right) \cdot \exp \left( \frac{ \sigma^2}{6} (T-t)^3 \right) \\ &&= \exp \left( - r_t (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 + \frac{ \sigma^2}{6} (T-t)^3 \right) \end{eqnarray}

$\square$

### (3) My answer

- Let $r_t=x$ into $F(t, r_t)$ of (2). \begin{eqnarray} F(t, x) = \exp \left( - x (T-t) - \frac{1}{2} \theta (T-t)^2 + \frac{ \sigma^2}{6} (T-t)^3 \right) \end{eqnarray}

- Then, one reaches the following equations. \begin{eqnarray} \partial_t F(t, x) &=& \left( x + \theta (T-t) - \frac{ \sigma^2}{2} (T-t)^2 \right) F(t, x) \\ \partial_x F(t, x) &=& - (T-t) F(t, x) \\ \partial_{xx} F(t, x) &=& (T-t)^2 F(t, x) \\ \end{eqnarray}

- Therefore, one computes the P.D.E of (1). Besides, the terminal condition is $F(T, x)=1$. \begin{eqnarray} && -xF(t, x) + \partial_t F(t, x) + \theta \partial_x F(t, x) + \frac{1}{2} \sigma^2 \partial_{xx} F(t, x) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = -xF(t, x) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad + \left( x + \theta (T-t) - \frac{ \sigma^2}{2} (T-t)^2 \right) F(t, x) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad - \theta (T-t) F(t, x) + \frac{1}{2} \sigma^2 (T-t)^2 F(t, x) \\ && \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad \qquad = 0 \end{eqnarray}

$\square$

(Thank you for your help in advance.)

Shown in full with attribution under the source's licence. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (Stack Exchange)

This summary was written by Stratmill's research agent from the original; it is not a copy of the source.