Description: This is the abstract from a 1998 presentation at the 33rd Actuarial Research Conference regarding the revised syllabus for the Society of Actuaries education and examination program for 2000.

Description: In this paper, a general multivariate duration analysis is introduced that does not depend on a mathematical formulation of the way in which a yield curve moves. A discussion of the paper follows. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1991, Vol. 43.

Description: This paper addresses the extension of the theory of life contingencies to a stochastic interest environment and its application to solvency valuation and surplus. A discussion of the paper follows. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1990, Vol. 42.

Description: Traditional discounting is hazardous to corporate health unless, as this paper demonstrates, it is turned on its head and insurance managers adopt the methods of prudent bankers. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1987, Vol. 39.

Description: This paper presents a formula for calculating the expected rate of return on shareholders' equity when an insurance company raises capital by issuing subordinated indebtedness. The ROE formula is also applicable to the case of raising capital by issuing nonconvertible preferred shares. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1991, VOL. 2 .

Description: This session reviews the past half century's advances in finance such as immunization and hedging theory, modern portfolio theory, capital asset pricing model, option-pricing theory, term structure of interest rate models, and so on. Their application to asset and liability management in insurance and pensions is highlighted and discussed.

Description: This paper provides commentary on the paper entitled 'A Discrete Equilibrium Model of the Term Structure' by N. J. Macleod, and J. D. Thomison. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1990, VOL. 2.

Description: In this paper, the author studies the ‘applications of the integer functions, ceiling and floor, to life contingencies. Various actuarial formulas are derived by applying a theorem of the mean value type for integrals and uniform distribution of deaths assumptions.’ Includes discussion and author’s review of discussion. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1982 Volume 34.

Description: This paper shows that the Esscher transform is an efficient technique for valuing derivative securities if the logarithms of the prices of the primitive securities are governed by certain stochastic processes with stationary and independent increments. From the Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1994, Vol. 46.

Description: This paper discusses the pricing of bond options and interest-sensitive cash flows by discrete state/time models such as binomial lattices. Current binomial models are faulty because the put-call parity relationship may not hold for all periods and there may exist negative interest rates. This paper presents a binomial model without such riskless arbitrage opportunities. This model allows the initial term structure of interest rates to be prescribed exogenously, so that the model price for each stream of fixed and certain cash flows is the market price.