Copula Based Monte Carlo Integration in Financial Problems∗

A computational technique that transform integrals over R , or some of its subsets, into the hypercube [0, 1] can be exploited in order to solve integrals via Monte Carlo integration without the need to simulate from the original distribution; all that is needed is to simulate iid uniform [0, 1] pseudo random variables. In particular the technique arises from the copula representation of multivariate distributions and the use of the marginal quantile function of the data. The procedure is further simplified if the quantile function has closed form. Several financial applications are considered in order to highlight the scope of this numerical techniques for financial problems. JEL: C15, G11, G12