Publications:
Al-Jaaf, A., & Carr, P. 2023. Vol, Skew, and Smile Trading. The Journal of Derivatives 31:64-95.
We show how a three-strike option portfolio can be used to trade the difference between the instantaneous variance rate and the implied variance rate, the difference between the instantaneous covariation rate and the implied slope, or the difference between the instantaneous variance rate of volatility and the implied convexity. We label each one of these strategies as vol, skew, and smile trades. Our results yield precise financial interpretations of particular measures of the level, slope, and curvature of a BMS implied variance curve. We provide empirical evidence that the average returns of the vol and smile (skew) trades are negative (positive) and that the returns of the skew and smile trades cannot be explained by the CAPM.
© [2023] PMR. All rights reserved.
Dividend predictability and higher moment risk premia
Al-Jaaf, A. 2022. Dividend predictability and higher moment risk premia. Journal of Asset Management 23:83–99.
I use model-free methods to estimate the term structures of the variance risk premium (VRP) and the skewness risk premium (SRP) derived from dividend futures and options. I find that VRP is on average negative, whereas SRP is on average positive. They have unique characteristics and can hardly be explained by equity risk factors and equity moment risk premia. I present evidence that both dividend moment risk premia contain significant forecasting power for dividend futures returns in- and out-of-sample. Dividend futures returns are predicted by the VRP (SRP) in almost all setups with a negative (positive) sign.