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Put–Call Parity and Arbitrage Bounds for a Higher-Strike Put

Article Quant Q&A · Author: user25910

Summary

The document explains how put–call parity and strike-spread bounds can determine whether a one-year put with a strike of 100 is mispriced, given a call with a strike of 90, the stock price, and the risk-free rate. It derives the value of the 90-strike put from parity, then uses the ordering of put values by strike and the maximum payoff of a 90–100 put spread to bound the higher-strike put’s price. The stated bounds identify prices outside the interval as potential arbitrage cases.

A second approach expresses the relevant call, put, stock, and discounted-strike relationship as an inequality and outlines a portfolio when one side is violated. The reasoning assumes no dividends and relies on consistent option and stock prices, borrowing or lending at the stated risk-free rate, and the ability to trade at those prices. The example is theoretical; transaction costs, funding constraints, and execution frictions are not addressed.

Key ideas

  • Put–call parity can infer the value of a put from a call, stock price, and discounted strike.
  • A higher-strike put cannot be worth less than a lower-strike put on the same underlying and expiry.
  • The value of a vertical put spread is bounded by the present value of its maximum payoff.
  • Prices outside the resulting bounds can indicate arbitrage under the stated assumptions.
  • The example assumes the stock pays no dividends.

Tags

Full text
# Options Arbitrage strategy


# Options Arbitrage strategy












Supposed we have 1-year call option with a strike of 90 and it costs 10. We also have 1-year put on the same stock with a strike of 100. The risk free rate is 5% per annum. the stock is currently trading at 80. For which price of a put option we can find an arbitrage strategy, for 20 or 30? And what the arbitrage strategy would be? I thought about shorting the put and the stock, and buying the call. According to my calculations it will always yield a non-negative profit, but I am not sure whether I am on the right track.

## Answer by dm63 (score 3)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/31831

We would like to obtain bounds on P(100). First calculate P(90) from put-call parity:

C(90)-P(90)= stock - PV(strike) =S- 90/1.05 = 80-85.71= -5.71

So P(90)= C(90)+5.71= 15.71

Now observe the following inequalities:

P(100) > P(90) > P(100) -10/1.05

The first of these states that the right to sell for 100 is always better than the right to sell for 90. The second states that the value of the 100-90 put spread can never be greater than the PV of its maximum payoff (10). So from these we obtain :

P(100) > 15.71 and P(100) < 25.24

As the arbitrage bounds for the 100 put. This all assumes the stock does not pay dividends.

## Answer by Ami44 (score 2)

https://quant.stackexchange.com/a/31827

At time of payout you have $$C(K=90) \leqslant C(K = 100) + 10$$ and $$P(K=90) \geqslant P(K=100) - 10$$ From that using put-call parity you can deduct $$ S - 100 * e^{-rT} \leqslant C(K=90) - P(K=100) \leqslant S - 90 * e^{-rT}$$ If this inequality is violated, than you have an arbitrage opportunity. Take advantage of it by buying the stuff that is underpriced and short the overprice things. E.g. assume the first inequality does not hold. Than $C(K=90)$ is too cheap or $P(K=100)$ to expensive. Buy the Call, Sell the Put and the Stock. The payout at T is:

For $S \leqslant 90$: $-100+S-S=-100$

For $90 \leqslant S \leqslant 100$: $S-90 - 100 + S - S = S - 190$

For $100 \leqslant S$: $S - 90-S=-90$

For all three outcomes the payout is greater than -100. Our assumption was that $$C(K=90)-P(K=100)-S < -100 * e^{rT}$$ Which means we got more than 100 (discounted) in cash for our position at time of inception. Since we made more money from selling the shorts than we loose by buying the call and through the payout we make a sure profit.

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.