Dupire’s Local Volatility Model

Model

The Dupire’s Local Volatility Model, initially developed by Marc Dupire, provides a framework for deriving the local volatility surface from observed European option prices. It represents a significant advancement over constant volatility models, allowing for a more nuanced representation of implied volatility across strike prices and maturities. This approach essentially inverts the Black-Scholes partial differential equation, enabling the construction of a volatility surface that is consistent with market prices. Consequently, it is frequently employed in pricing and hedging exotic options, particularly those sensitive to volatility skew and term structure.