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Volatility smile - Financial definition

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Translations:      FR  smile de volatilité (n.m.)     ES  sonrisa de volatilidad (n.f.)     DE  Volatilitäts-Smile (n.m.) , Volatilitätslächeln (n.n.) 

Concise definition of the term volatility smile

The term volatility smile describes the phenomenon where the implied volatility of an option increases as its exercise price deviates from the underlying asset's price. The name is derived from the shape of the curve that depicts the relationship between the strike prices of a series of options with the same maturity and underlying asset, along with their corresponding implied volatility.

Comprehensive definition of the term volatility smile

Below is a graphical illustration of the volatility smile.
graphical illustration of the volatility smile of a series of options

Additional information related to this definition

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