On minimizing drawdown risks of lifetime investments

Drawdown measures the decline of portfolio value from its historic high-water mark. In this paper, we study a lifetime investment problem aiming at minimizing the risk of drawdown occurrences. Under the Black–Scholes framework, we examine two financial market models: a market with two risky assets, and a market with a risk-free asset and a risky asset. Closed-form optimal trading strategies are derived under both models by utilizing a decomposition technique on the associated Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation. We show that it is optimal to minimize the portfolio variance when the fund value is at its historic high-water mark. Moreover, when the fund value drops, the proportion of wealth invested in the asset with a higher instantaneous rate of return should be increased. We find that the instantaneous return rate of the minimum lifetime drawdown probability (MLDP) portfolio is never less than the return rate of the minimum variance (MV) portfolio. This supports the practical use of drawdown-based performance measures in which the role of volatility is replaced by drawdown.     

Portfolio selection problems with Markowitz’s mean–variance framework: a review of literature

Since the pioneering work of Harry Markowitz, mean–variance portfolio selection model has been widely used in both theoretical and empirical studies, which maximizes the investment return under certain risk level or minimizes the investment risk under certain return level. In this paper, we review several variations or generalizations that substantially improve the performance of Markowitz’s mean–variance model, including dynamic portfolio optimization, portfolio optimization with practical factors, robust portfolio optimization and fuzzy portfolio optimization. The review provides a useful reference to handle portfolio selection problems for both researchers and practitioners. Some summaries about the current studies and future research directions are presented at the end of this paper.     

Uncertain portfolio optimization problem under a minimax risk measure

Portfolio optimization problem is concerned with choosing an optimal portfolio strategy that can strike a balance between maximizing investment return and minimizing investment risk. In many cases, the return rate of risky asset is neither a random variable nor a fuzzy variable. Then, it can be described as an uncertain variable. But, the existing works on uncertain portfolio optimization problem fail to find an analytic solution of optimal portfolio strategy. In this paper, we define a new uncertain risk measure for the modeling of investment risk. Then, an uncertain portfolio optimization model is formulated. By introducing a new variable, we transform it into an equivalent bi-criteria optimization model. Then, we derive a method for the construction of the set of analytic Pareto optimal solutions. Finally, a numerical simulation is carried out to show the applicability of the proposed model and the convenience of finding the analytic solution.     

Fuzzy turnover rate chance constraints portfolio model

One concern of many investors is to own the assets which can be liquidated easily. Thus, in this paper, we incorporate portfolio liquidity in our proposed model. Liquidity is measured by an index called turnover rate. Since the return of an asset is uncertain, we present it as a trapezoidal fuzzy number and its turnover rate is measured by fuzzy credibility theory. The desired portfolio turnover rate is controlled through a fuzzy chance constraint. Furthermore, to manage the portfolios with asymmetric investment return, other than mean and variance, we also utilize the third central moment, the skewness of portfolio return. In fact, we propose a fuzzy portfolio mean–variance–skewness model with cardinality constraint which combines assets limitations with liquidity requirement. To solve the model, we also develop a hybrid algorithm which is the combination of cardinality constraint, genetic algorithm, and fuzzy simulation, called FCTPM.     

考虑背景风险和流动性的模糊投资组合模型

利用投资收益率的二阶矩作为风险度量函数,建立了考虑背景风险和流动性的模糊投资组合模型.在满足预设收益率、换手率可能性均值要求水平以及风险资产的投资比例等约束条件下,使投资收益的二阶矩最小.最后选取中证100指数成分股中部分股票的历史数据进行数值分析,证明了该模型符合“高收益、高风险”的规律,说明该模型适用于实际金融市场.而且使用二阶矩代替方差作为风险度量函数,克服了方差计算复杂的缺陷,简化了模糊投资组合求解问题.     

Portfolio selection with a minimax measure in safety constraint

In this paper, we attempt to design a portfolio optimization model for investors who desire to minimize the variation around the mean return and at the same time wish to achieve better return than the worst possible return realization at every time point in a single period portfolio investment. The portfolio is to be selected from the risky assets in the equity market. Since the minimax portfolio optimization model provides us with the portfolio that maximizes (minimizes) the worst return (worst loss) realization in the investment horizon period, in order to safeguard the interest of investors, the optimal value of the minimax optimization model is used to design a constraint in the mean-absolute semideviation model. This constraint can be viewed as a safety strategy adopted by an investor. Thus, our proposed bi-objective linear programming model involves mean return as a reward and mean-absolute semideviation as a risk in the objective function and minimax as a safety constraint, which enables a trade off between return and risk with a fixed safety value. The efficient frontier of the model is generated using the augmented -constraint method on the GAMS software. We simultaneously solve the ratio optimization problem which maximizes the ratio of mean return over mean-absolute semideviation with same minimax value in the safety constraint. Subsequently, we choose two portfolios on the above generated efficient frontier such that the risk from one of them is less and the mean return from other portfolio is more than the respective quantities of the optimal portfolio from the ratio optimization model. Extensive computational results and in-sample and out-of-sample analysis are provided to compare the financial performance of the optimal portfolios selected by our proposed model with that of the optimal portfolios from the existing minimax and mean-absolute semideviation portfolio optimization models on real data from S&P CNX Nifty index.     

Robust portfolio choice with CVaR and VaR under distribution and mean return ambiguity

We consider the problem of optimal portfolio choice using the Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) and Value-at-Risk (VaR) measures for a market consisting of n risky assets and a riskless asset and where short positions are allowed. When the distribution of returns of risky assets is unknown but the mean return vector and variance/covariance matrix of the risky assets are fixed, we derive the distributionally robust portfolio rules. Then, we address uncertainty (ambiguity) in the mean return vector in addition to distribution ambiguity, and derive the optimal portfolio rules when the uncertainty in the return vector is modeled via an ellipsoidal uncertainty set. In the presence of a riskless asset, the robust CVaR and VaR measures, coupled with a minimum mean return constraint, yield simple, mean-variance efficient optimal portfolio rules. In a market without the riskless asset, we obtain a closed-form portfolio rule that generalizes earlier results, without a minimum mean return restriction.     

考虑破产控制的多期模糊资产-负债组合优化模型

在实际的投资决策过程中,一些投资者需要同时管理资产和负债,因此本文研究考虑破产控制和偿债行为的资产-负债管理问题。假设风险资产的收益率和负债的增长率为模糊数,用资产-负债组合的可能性期望和下半绝对偏差度量其收益和风险,以最大化最终期望净财富和最小化最终累积风险为目标,建立了允许限制性卖空的多期模糊资产-负债组合优化模型。然后,设计了一个基于粒子群算法和模拟退火算法的混合智能算法对模型进行求解。最后,通过实例分析说明了所设计算法与传统粒子群算法相比具有更好的优化性能和稳定性。本文所提出策略可以为需要同时管理资产和负债的投资者提供决策支持。     

二阶随机占优约束下考虑偏度的投资组合模型

在DentchevaRuszczynski(2006)模型的基础上,考虑偏度对构建投资组合的影响,建立了二阶随机占优约束下最大化组合收益率偏度的投资组合优化模型,并应用分段线性近似方法将模型转化为一个非线性混合整数规划问题.利用中国股票市场的历史数据对所建模型进行了实证分析,结果表明,所建新模型比均值-方差-偏度模型和市场指数具有更稳健的表现.     

Equilibrium investment strategy for DC pension plan with default risk and return of premiums clauses under CEV model

This paper considers an optimal investment problem for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan with default risk in a mean–variance framework. In the DC plan, contributions are supposed to be a predetermined amount of money as premiums and the pension funds are allowed to be invested in a financial market which consists of a risk-free asset, a defaultable bond and a risky asset satisfied a constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model. Notice that a part of pension members could die during the accumulation phase, and their premiums should be withdrawn. Thus, we consider the return of premiums clauses by an actuarial method and assume that the surviving members will share the difference between the return and the accumulation equally. Taking account of the pension fund size and the volatility of the accumulation, a mean–variance criterion as the investment objective for the DC plan can be formulated, and the original optimization problem can be decomposed into two sub-problems: a post-default case and a pre-default case. By applying a game theoretic framework, the equilibrium investment strategies and the corresponding equilibrium value functions can be obtained explicitly. Economic interpretations are given in the numerical simulation, which is presented to illustrate our results.     

基于模糊收益率的养老保险基金投资研究

结合中国养老保险基金投资现状,考虑预期收益率是模糊数的情形,利用可能性均值和可能性方差作为投资组合的预期收益率和风险,建立均值-方差组合投资模型.最后,利用lingo软件进行数值分析,表明此模型具有一定的实际应用价值.     

Optimal mean–variance efficiency of a family with life insurance under inflation risk

We study an optimization problem of a family under mean–variance efficiency. The market consists of cash, a zero-coupon bond, an inflation-indexed zero-coupon bond, a stock, life insurance and income-replacement insurance. The instantaneous interest rate is modeled as the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross (CIR) model, and we use a generalized Black–Scholes model to characterize the stock and labor income. We also take into account the inflation risk and consider our problem in the real market. The goal of the family is to maximize the mean of the surplus wealth at the retirement or death of the breadwinner and minimize its variance by finding a portfolio selection. The efficient frontier and optimal strategies are derived through the dynamic programming method and the technique of solving associated nonlinear HJB equations. We also present a numerical illustration to explore the impact of economical parameters on the efficient frontier.     

Portfolio optimization with a neural network implementation of the coherent market hypothesis

Capital market research seems to be widely governed by traditional static linear models like arbitrage pricing theory and capital asset pricing model, though there is some evidence that better results can be achieved using nonlinear approaches. In this study we described a portfolio optimization model based on artificial neural networks embedded in the framework of a nonlinear dynamic capital market model, the coherent market hypothesis. The main advantage of this theory is that it drops the premise of rational investors and therefore relaxes the precondition of approximately normally distributed stock returns. Neural networks are used to estimate the return distributions in order to forecast the fundamental situation and the level of group behavior of the specific stocks. On the basis of these forecasts the relative stock performance is predicted and used to manage stock portfolios, In a simulation with out-of-sample data from 1991–1994 a portfolio constructed from the eight best ranked stocks achieved an annual return rate about 25% higher than that of the market portfolio and one built from the eight worst ranked stocks attained a return about 25% lower than the market portfolio's return rate. A hedging strategy based on the two aforementioned portfolios leads to a consistently positive annual return of about 25% regardless of the movements of the market portfolio with only 41% of the risk of a buy and hold strategy in the market portfolio.     

On robust mean-variance portfolios

We derive closed-form portfolio rules for robust mean–variance portfolio optimization where the return vector is uncertain or the mean return vector is subject to estimation errors, both uncertainties being confined to an ellipsoidal uncertainty set. We consider different mean–variance formulations allowing short sales, and derive closed-form optimal portfolio rules in static and dynamic settings.     

Integrated portfolio management with options

In this paper we examine the problem of managing portfolios consisting of both, stocks and options. For the simultaneous optimization of stock and option positions we base our analysis on the generally accepted mean–variance framework. First, we analyze the effects of options on the mean–variance efficient frontier if they are considered as separate investment alternatives. Due to the resulting asymmetric portfolio return distribution mean–variance analysis will be not sufficient to identify optimal optioned portfolios. Additional investor preferences which are expressed in terms of shortfall constraints allow a more detailed portfolio specification. Under a mean–variance and shortfall preference structure we then derive optioned portfolios with a maximum expected return. To circumvent the technical optimization problems arising from stochastic constraints we use an approximation of the return distribution and develop economically meaningful conditions under which the complex optimization problem can be transformed into a linear problem being comparably easy to solve. Empirical results based on both, empirical market data and Monte Carlo simulations, illustrate the portfolio optimization procedure with options.     

Mean-variance-skewness model for portfolio selection with fuzzy returns

Numerous empirical studies show that portfolio returns are generally asymmetric, and investors would prefer a portfolio return with larger degree of asymmetry when the mean value and variance are same. In order to measure the asymmetry of fuzzy portfolio return, a concept of skewness is defined as the third central moment in this paper, and its mathematical properties are studied. As an extension of the fuzzy mean-variance model, a mean-variance-skewness model is presented and the corresponding variations are also considered. In order to solve the proposed models, a genetic algorithm integrating fuzzy simulation is designed. Finally, several numerical examples are given to illustrate the modelling idea and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.     

具有优良资产投资的最优证券组合策略研究

本文利用均值 方差模型 ,研究了具有优良资产的证券组合问题 ,推导并分析了最优投资比例问题的相关结论     

Efficient optimization of the reward-risk ratio with polyhedral risk measures

In problems of portfolio selection the reward-risk ratio criterion is optimized to search for a risky portfolio offering the maximum increase of the mean return, compared to the risk-free investment opportunities. In the classical model, following Markowitz, the risk is measured by the variance thus representing the Sharpe ratio optimization and leading to the quadratic optimization problems. Several polyhedral risk measures, being linear programming (LP) computable in the case of discrete random variables represented by their realizations under specified scenarios, have been introduced and applied in portfolio optimization. The reward-risk ratio optimization with polyhedral risk measures can be transformed into LP formulations. The LP models typically contain the number of constraints proportional to the number of scenarios while the number of variables (matrix columns) proportional to the total of the number of scenarios and the number of instruments. Real-life financial decisions are usually based on more advanced simulation models employed for scenario generation where one may get several thousands scenarios. This may lead to the LP models with huge number of variables and constraints thus decreasing their computational efficiency and making them hardly solvable by general LP tools. We show that the computational efficiency can be then dramatically improved by alternative models based on the inverse ratio minimization and taking advantages of the LP duality. In the introduced models the number of structural constraints (matrix rows) is proportional to the number of instruments thus not affecting seriously the simplex method efficiency by the number of scenarios and therefore guaranteeing easy solvability.     

Forecasting portfolio returns using weighted fuzzy time series methods

We propose using weighted fuzzy time series (FTS) methods to forecast the future performance of returns on portfolios. We model the uncertain parameters of the fuzzy portfolio selection models using a possibilistic interval-valued mean approach, and approximate the uncertain future return on a given portfolio by means of a trapezoidal fuzzy number. Introducing some modifications into the classical models of fuzzy time series, based on weighted operators, enables us to generate trapezoidal numbers as forecasts of the future performance of the portfolio returns. This fuzzy forecast makes it possible to approximate both the expected return and the risk of the investment through the value and ambiguity of a fuzzy number.We incorporate our proposals into classical fuzzy time series methods and analyze their effectiveness compared with classical weighted fuzzy time series models, using historical returns on assets from the Spanish stock market. When our weighted FTS proposals are used to point-wise forecast portfolio returns the one-step ahead accuracy is improved, also with respect to non-fuzzy forecasting methods.