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How do you convert a state price vector into risk-neutral probabilities?

You convert a state price vector into risk-neutral probabilities by multiplying each state price by the gross risk-free factor (1+i)(1+i), where ii is the per-period risk-free interest rate. This scaling transforms the monetary prices of Arrow-Debreu securities into a valid probability distribution that sums to 1.

Conditions

  • The state prices ψj\psi_j are already determined.
  • ii is the known per-period risk-free interest rate.
  • The market is a one-period finite-state model.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Identify the state price vector [ψ1,ψ2,…,ψn][\psi_1, \psi_2, \dots, \psi_n].
  2. Determine the per-period risk-free interest rate ii.
  3. Calculate the gross risk-free factor (1+i)(1+i).
  4. Multiply each state price ψj\psi_j by (1+i)(1+i) to obtain the risk-neutral probability qjq_j.
  5. Verify that the sum of all qjq_j equals 1.

Example

In a two-state market with state prices ψ1=20/33\psi_1=20/33 and ψ2=10/33\psi_2=10/33, and a risk-free rate of i=10%i=10\%, the gross factor is 1.11.1. The risk-neutral probabilities are q1=1.1⋅(20/33)=2/3q_1 = 1.1 \cdot (20/33) = 2/3 and q2=1.1⋅(10/33)=1/3q_2 = 1.1 \cdot (10/33) = 1/3.

Common misconceptions

  • Assuming that state prices and risk-neutral probabilities are always numerically the same; they only coincide when the risk-free rate is zero (i=0i=0).
  • Forgetting to multiply by the gross factor (1+i)(1+i) and instead dividing by it, which would yield incorrect probabilities.

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