Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Process

Process

The Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Process, initially developed in physics to model Brownian motion with a restoring force, finds increasing application within quantitative finance, particularly in modeling interest rates and asset price dynamics. It represents a mean-reverting stochastic process, characterized by a tendency to revert towards a long-term equilibrium level. This behavior contrasts with purely diffusive processes like geometric Brownian motion, offering a more realistic depiction of assets exhibiting mean reversion, a common feature in financial markets. Consequently, it provides a valuable framework for pricing derivatives and managing risk in scenarios where mean reversion is a significant factor.