Institute of Actuaries of India

Subject
CM2 – Financial Engineering and
Loss Reserving Core Principles

For 2019 Examinations

CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving Core Principles

Aim

The aim of the Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving subject is to provide a grounding in
the principles of modelling as applied to actuarial work – focusing particularly on stochastic
asset liability models and the valuation of financial derivatives. These skills are also required
to communicate with other financial professionals and to critically evaluate modern financial
theories.

Competences

On successful completion of this subject, a student will be able to:

1 describe, interpret and discuss the theories on the behaviour of financial markets.
2 discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different measures of investment risk.
3 describe, construct, interpret and discuss the models underlying asset valuations.
4 describe, construct, interpret and discuss the models underlying liability valuations.
5 describe, construct, interpret and discuss the models underlying option pricing.

Links to other subjects

Concepts introduced in CS1 – Actuarial Statistics 1, CS2 – Risk Modelling and Survival
Analysis, CM1– Actuarial Mathematics 1 and CB2 – Business Economics are used in this
subject.

Topics in this subject are further built upon in CP1 – Actuarial Practice, CP2 – Modelling
Practice, SP5 – Investment and Finance Principles, SP6 – Financial Derivatives Principles and
SP9 – Enterprise Risk Management Principles.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving Core Principles

Syllabus topics

1 Theories of financial market behaviour (15%)

2 Measures of investment risk (15%)
3 Stochastic investment returnmodels (10%)
4 Asset valuations (20%)
5 Liability valuations (20%)
6 Option theory (20%)

The weightings are indicative of the approximate balance of the assessment of this subject
between the main syllabus topics, averaged over a number of examination sessions.

The weightings also have a correspondence with the amount of learning material underlying
each syllabus topic. However, this will also reflect aspects such as:

 the relative complexity of each topic, and hence the amount of explanation and support
required for it.

 the need to provide thorough foundation understanding on which to build the other
objectives.

 the extent of prior knowledge which is expected.

 the degree to which each topic area is more knowledge or application based.

Skill levels

The use of a specific command verb within a syllabus objective does not indicate that this is
the only form of question which can be asked on the topic covered by that objective. The
Examiners may ask a question on any syllabus topic using any of the agreed command verbs,
as are defined in the document “Command verbs used in the Associate and Fellowship
written examinations”.

Questions may be set at any skill level: Knowledge (demonstration of a detailed knowledge
and understanding of the topic), Application (demonstration of an ability to apply the
principles underlying the topic within a given context) and Higher Order (demonstration of an
ability to perform deeper analysis and assessment of situations, including forming judgements,
taking into account different points of view, comparing and contrasting situations, suggesting
possible solutions and actions, and making recommendations).

In the CM subjects, the approximate split of assessment across the three skill types is 20%
Knowledge, 65% Application and 15% Higher Order skills.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving
Core Principles

Detailed syllabus objectives

1 Theories of financial market behaviour (15%)

1.1 Rational expectations theory

1.1.1 Discuss the three forms of the Efficient Markets Hypothesis and their
consequences for investment management.

1.1.2 Describe briefly the evidence for or against each form of the
Efficient Markets Hypothesis.

1.2 Rational choice theory

1.2.1 Explain the meaning of the term “utility function”.

1.2.2 Explain the axioms underlying utility theory and the expected utility
theorem.

1.2.3 Explain how the following economic characteristics of investors can

be expressed mathematically in a utility function:

 non-satiation
 risk aversion, risk neutrality and risk seeking
 declining or increasing absolute and relative risk aversion

1.2.4 Discuss the economic properties of commonly used utility functions.

1.2.5 Discuss how a utility function may depend on current wealth and
discuss state dependent utility functions.

1.2.6 Perform calculations using commonly used utility functions to

compare investment opportunities.

1.2.7 State conditions for absolute dominance and for first and
second-order dominance.

1.2.8 Analyse simple insurance problems in terms of utility theory.

1.3 Behavioural economics

1.3.1 Describe the main features of Kahneman and Tversky’s prospect

theory critique of expected utility theory.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving Core Principles

1.3.2 Explain what is meant by “framing”, “heuristics” and “bias” in the

context of financial markets and describe the following features of
behaviour in such markets:
 the herd instinct
 anchoring and adjustment
 self-serving bias
 loss aversion
 confirmation bias
 availability bias
 familiarity bias

1.3.3 Describe the Bernartzi and Thaler solution to the equity premium
puzzle.

2 Measures of investment risk (15%)

2.1 Properties of risk measures

2.1.1 Define the following measures of investment risk:

 variance of return
 downside semi-variance of return
 shortfall probabilities
 Value at Risk (VaR) / Tail VaR

2.1.2 Describe how the risk measures listed in 2.1.1 above are related
to the form of an investor’s utility function.

2.1.3 Perform calculations using the risk measures listed in 2.1.1 above to
compare investment opportunities.

2.1.4 Explain how the distribution of returns and the thickness of tails will
influence the assessment of risk.

2.2 Risk and insurance companies

2.2.1 Describe how insurance companies help to reduce or remove risk.

2.2.2 Explain what is meant by the terms “moral hazard” and “adverse
selection”.

3 Stochastic interest rate of return models (10%)

3.1 Show an understanding of simple stochastic models for investment returns.

3.1.1 Describe the concept of a stochastic investment return model and the
fundamental distinction between this and a deterministic model.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving
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3.1.2 Derive algebraically, for the model in which the annual rates of return
are independently and identically distributed and for other simple
models, expressions for the mean value and the variance of the
accumulated amount of a single premium.

3.1.3 Derive algebraically, for the model in which the annual rates of return
are independently and identically distributed, recursive relationships
which permit the evaluation of the mean value and the variance of the
accumulated amount of an annual premium.

3.1.4 Derive analytically, for the model in which each year the random
variable (1 + r) has an independent log-normal distribution, the
distribution functions for the accumulated amount of a single
premium and for the present value of a sum due at a given specified
future time.

3.1.5 Apply the above results to the calculation of the probability that a
simple sequence of payments will accumulate to a given amount at a
specific future time.

4 Asset valuations (20%)

4.1 Mean-variance portfolio theory

4.1.1 Describe and discuss the assumptions of mean-variance portfolio

theory.

4.1.2 Discuss the conditions under which application of mean-variance

portfolio theory leads to the selection of an optimum portfolio.

4.1.3 Calculate the expected return and risk of a portfolio of many risky
assets, given the expected return, variance and covariance of returns
of the individual assets, using mean-variance portfolio theory.

4.1.4 Explain the benefits of diversification using mean-variance portfolio

theory.

4.2 Asset pricing models

4.2.1 Describe the assumptions, principal results and uses of the Sharpe-
Lintner- Mossin Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM).

4.2.2 Discuss the limitations of the basic CAPM and some of the attempts
that have been made to develop the theory to overcome these
limitations.

4.2.3 Perform calculations using the CAPM.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving Core Principles

4.2.4 Discuss the main issues involved in estimating parameters for asset
pricing models.

4.3 Single and multifactor models for investment returns

4.3.1 Describe the three types of multifactor models of asset returns:

 macroeconomic models
 fundamental factor models
 statistical factor models

4.3.2 Discuss the single index model of asset returns.

4.3.3 Discuss the concepts of diversifiable and non-diversifiable risk.

4.3.4 Discuss the construction of the different types of multifactor models.

4.3.5 Perform calculations using both single and multi-factor models.

4.4 Stochastic models for security prices

4.4.1 Discuss the continuous time log-normal model of security prices

and the empirical evidence for or against the model.

4.4.2 Explain the definition and basic properties of standard Brownian

motion or Wiener process.

4.4.3 Demonstrate a basic understanding of stochastic differential

equations, the Ito integral, diffusion and mean-reverting processes.

4.4.4 State Ito’s Lemma and be able to apply it to simple problems.

4.4.5 Write down the stochastic differential equation for geometric

Brownian motion and show how to find its solution.

4.4.6 Write down the stochastic differential equation for the Ornstein-
Uhlenbeck process and show how to find its solution.

4.5 Models of the term structures of interest rates

4.5.1 Explain the principal concepts and terms underlying the theory of
a term structure of interest rates.

4.5.2 Describe the desirable characteristics of models for the term-

structure of interest rates.

4.5.3 Apply the term structure of interest rates to modelling various cash
flows, including calculating the sensitivity of the value to changes
in the term structure.

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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving
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4.5.4 Describe, as a computational tool, the risk-neutral approach to the
pricing of zero-coupon bonds and interest-rate derivatives for a
general one-factor diffusion model for the risk-free rate of interest.

4.5.5 Describe, as a computational tool, the approach using state-price

deflators to the pricing of zero-coupon bonds and interest-rate
derivatives for a general one-factor diffusion model for the risk-free
rate of interest.

4.5.6 Demonstrate an awareness of the Vasicek, Cox-Ingersoll-Ross and

Hull- White models for the term-structure of interest rates.

4.5.7 Discuss the limitations of these one-factor models and show an

awareness of how these issues can be addressed.

4.6 Simple models for credit risk

4.6.1 Define the terms credit event and recovery rate.

4.6.2 Describe the different approaches to modelling credit risk: structural

models, reduced form models, intensity-based models.

4.6.3 Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the Merton model.

4.6.4 Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of a two-state model

for credit ratings with a constant transition intensity.

4.6.5 Describe how the two-state model can be generalised to the Jarrow-
Lando- Turnbull model for credit ratings.

4.6.6 Describe how the two-state model can be generalised to

incorporate a stochastic transition intensity.

5 Liability valuations (20%)

5.1 Ruin theory

5.1.1 Explain what is meant by the aggregate claim process and the
cash-flow process for a risk.

5.1.2 Use the Poisson process and the distribution of inter-event times to
calculate probabilities of the number of events in a given time
interval and waiting times.

5.1.3 Define a compound Poisson process and calculate probabilities

using simulation.
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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving Core Principles

5.1.4 Define the probability of ruin in infinite/finite and

continuous/discrete time and state and explain relationships
between the different probabilities of ruin.

5.1.5 Describe the effect on the probability of ruin, in both finite and
infinite time, of changing parameter values by reasoning or
simulation.

5.1.6 Calculate probabilities of ruin by simulation.

5.2 Run-off triangles

5.2.1 Define a development factor and show how a set of assumed

development factors can be used to project the future development of
a delay triangle.

5.2.2 Describe and apply a basic chain ladder method for completing the
delay triangle using development factors.

5.2.3 Show how the basic chain ladder method can be adjusted to make
explicit allowance for inflation.

5.2.4 Describe and apply the average cost per claim method for estimating
outstanding claim amounts.

5.2.5 Describe and apply the Bornhuetter-Ferguson method for estimating

outstanding claim amounts.

5.2.6 Describe how a statistical model can be used to underpin a run off
triangles approach.

5.2.7 Discuss the assumptions underlying the application of the methods in

5.2.1 to 5.2.6 above.
5.3 Value basic benefit guarantees using simulation techniques.

6 Option theory (20%)

6.1 Option pricing and valuations

6.1.1 State what is meant by arbitrage and a complete market.

6.1.2 Outline the factors that affect option prices.

6.1.3 Derive specific results for options which are not model dependent:
 show how to value a forward contract.
 develop upper and lower bounds for European and American
call and put options.
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CM2 – Financial Engineering and Loss Reserving
Core Principles  explain what is meant by put-call parity.

6.1.4 Show how to use binomial trees and lattices in valuing options and
solve simple examples.

6.1.5 Derive the risk-neutral pricing measure for a binomial lattice and
describe the risk-neutral pricing approach to the pricing of equity
options.

6.1.6 Explain the difference between the real-world measure and the risk-
neutral measure. Explain why the risk-neutral pricing approach is
seen as a computational tool (rather than a realistic representation of
price dynamics in the real world).

6.1.7 State the alternative names for the risk-neutral and state-price
deflator approaches to pricing.

6.1.8 Demonstrate an understanding of the Black-Scholes derivative-

pricing model:
 explain what is meant by a complete market.
 explain what is meant by risk-neutral pricing and the
equivalent martingale measure.
 derive the Black-Scholes partial differential equation both in
its basic and Garman-Kohlhagen forms.
 demonstrate how to price and hedge a simple derivative contract
using the martingale approach.

6.1.9 Show how to use the Black-Scholes model in valuing options and
solve simple examples.

6.1.10 Discuss the validity of the assumptions underlying the Black-

Scholes model.

6.1.11 Describe and apply in simple models, including the binomial model
and the Black-Scholes model, the approach to pricing using
deflators and demonstrate its equivalence to the risk-neutral pricing
approach.

6.1.12 Demonstrate an awareness of the commonly used terminology for

the first, and where appropriate second, partial derivatives (the
Greeks) of an option price.
Assessment
Assessment consists of written and online examination conducted in a classroom
environment under the supervision of an invigilator.

END
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