A self-contained theory is presented for pricing and hedging LIBOR and swap derivatives by arbitrage. Appropriate payoff
homogeneity and measurability conditions are identified which guarantee that a given payoff can be attained by a self-financing
trading strategy. LIBOR and swap derivatives satisfy this condition, implying they can be priced and hedged with a finite
number of zero-coupon bonds, even when there is no instantaneous saving bond. Notion of locally arbitrage-free price system
is introduced and equivalent criteria established. Stochastic differential equations are derived for term structures of forward
libor and swap rates, and shown to have a unique positive solution when the percentage volatility function is bounded, implying
existence of an arbitrage-free model with such volatility specification. The construction is explicit for the lognormal LIBOR
and swap “market models”, the former following Musiela and Rutkowski (1995). Primary examples of LIBOR and swap derivatives
are discussed and appropriate practical models suggested for each.
Key words: LIBOR and swap derivatives, self-financing trading strategies, homogenous payoffs, stochastic differential equations
JEL classification:E43, G13 Mathematics Subject Classification (1991):60G44, 60H30, 90A09