Pricing discrete barrier options and credit default swaps under Lévy processes

Abstract

We consider discretely monitored barrier options under Lévy models, including single and double barrier options and first-touch digitals, as well as CDS and defaultable bonds. At each step of backward induction, we use piece-wise polynomial interpolation and an efficient version of the Fourier transform technique, which allows for efficient error control. We derive accurate recommendations for the choice of parameters of the numerical scheme, and produce numerical examples showing that oversimplified prescriptions in other methods can result in large errors.