| Abstract [eng] |
This paper, after giving a short introduction to hedge fund industry, studies arbitrage strategies. We consider two assets with identical cash flows. Initially, there is a gap between their prices. Arbitrageur, willing to profit from the mispricing, buys cheaper of the two assets and sells the more expensive one short. If the price difference converges to zero, he makes profit. Arbitrage position can generate losses if the spread widens before converging. Short selling is almost always done with a collateral requirement. For this reason, arbitrage position can generate losses if the spread widens before converging. Arbitrage becomes a risky investment with an initial wealth requirement. We created a simple model, showing how collateral requirement affects profit from an arbitrage opportunity. We also found the optimal strategy to maximize this profit. We showed that arbitrage opportunities can exist in a market; however, they might not be exploitable due to unexpected widening of spreads. |
