Risk capital allocation is based on the assumption that the risk of a homogeneous portfolio is scaled up and down with the portfolio size. In this article we show that this assumption is true for large portfolios, but has to be revised for small ones. On basis of numerical examples we calculate...

The gradient allocation principle, which generalizes the most popular specific allocation principles, is commonly proposed in the literature as a means of distributing a financial institution's risk capital to its constituents. This paper is concerned with the axioms defining the coherence of...

We develop a quantitative model for structured microfinance instruments, which are regarded as an important means for refinancing microfinance institutions. The quantitative credit risk model presented takes into account the peculiarities of microfinance institutions and can be used for pricing...

We derive the Green's function for the Black-Scholes partial differential equation with time-varying coefficients and time-dependent boundary conditions. We provide a thorough discussion of its implementation within a pricing algorithm that also accommodates American style options. Greeks can be...

High microcredit interest rates cause fierce debates among practitioners, scholars and even the general public. To objectify these discussions, this article investigates determinants of microcredit interest rates by using a worldwide data set of 712 microfinance institutions (MFIs). We examine...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the main motives of investors in allocating their money in a socially responsible (SR) way. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on primary data collected in a survey using an online questionnaire. This paper applies tests for...

The aim of this paper is to expand the methodological spectrum of socially responsible investing by introducing stochastic sustainability returns into safety first models for portfolio choice. We provide a foundation of the notion of sustainability in portfolio theory and establish a general...

A stochastic model is developed to explain how the early unwinding propensity of market participants in financial futures markets can lead to a strong concentration of the trading volume on the nearby contract. In this model the position closing behavior of the market participants is captured by...

We examine four European stock indices and the prices of eight major German stocks for indications of psychological barriers. The frequency, (expected) returns, intraday volatility and trading volume of these assets are studied contingent on whether the prices lie within a certain range around...