Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-models-of-financial-derivatives-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2021/1/d/solution

Since does not depend on , differentiation of the digital option value gives its vega:
Thus vega is negative for , zero at , and positive for . Increasing volatility spreads the conditional normal distribution around its mean: when the current asset value is positive this reduces the chance of ending positive, while for a negative starting value it increases that chance. At zero the distribution stays symmetric and the probability remains one half. A digital payoff need not have the positive vega familiar from a European call option.

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