Regularity of the value function and viscosity solutions in optimal stopping problems for general Markov processes

We consider optimal stopping problems for Markov processes with a semicontinuous reward function g , and we show that under suitable conditions the value function w = w [ g ] is itself semicontinuous and is a viscosity solution of the associated variational inequality.     

A Connection between Singular Stochastic Control and Optimal Stopping

We show that the value function of a singular stochastic control problem is equal to the integral of the value function of an associated optimal stopping problem. The connection is proved for a general class of diffusions using the method of viscosity solutions.     

A Connection between Singular Stochastic Control and Optimal Stopping

We show that the value function of a singular stochastic control problem is equal to the integral of the value function of an associated optimal stopping problem. The connection is proved for a general class of diffusions using the method of viscosity solutions.     

Infinite horizon stopping problems with (nearly) total reward criteria

We study an infinite horizon optimal stopping Markov problem which is either undiscounted (total reward) or with a general Markovian discount rate. Using ergodic properties of the underlying Markov process, we establish the feasibility of the stopping problem and prove the existence of optimal and ε$\epsilon$-optimal stopping times. We show the continuity of the value function and its variational characterisation (in the viscosity sense) under different sets of assumptions satisfied by large classes of diffusion and jump–diffusion processes. In the case of a general discounted problem we relax a classical assumption that the discount rate is uniformly separated from zero.     

Optimal stopping problems by two or more decision makers: a survey

A review of the optimal stopping problem with more than a single decision maker (DM) is presented in this paper. We classify the existing literature according to the arrival of the offers, the utility of the DMs, the length of the sequence of offers, the nature of the game and the number of offers to be selected. We enumerate various definitions for this problem and describe some dynamic approaches. Fouad Ben Abdelaziz is on leave from the Institut Superieur de Gestion, University of Tunis, Tunisia e-mail: foued.benabdelaz@isg.run.tn.     

Mayer and optimal stopping stochastic control problems with discontinuous cost

We study two classes of stochastic control problems with semicontinuous cost: the Mayer problem and optimal stopping for controlled diffusions. The value functions are introduced via linear optimization problems on appropriate sets of probability measures. These sets of constraints are described deterministically with respect to the coefficient functions. Both the lower and upper semicontinuous cases are considered. The value function is shown to be a generalized viscosity solution of the associated HJB system, respectively, of some variational inequality. Dual formulations are given, as well as the relations between the primal and dual value functions. Under classical convexity assumptions, we prove the equivalence between the linearized Mayer problem and the standard weak control formulation. Counter-examples are given for the general framework.     

Perturbed solutions of variational inequality problems over polyhedral sets

This paper is concerned with variational inequality problems defined over polyhedral sets, which provide a generalization of many diverse problems of mathematical programming, complementarity, and mathematical economics. Differentiability properties of locally unique perturbed solutions to such problems are studied. It is shown that, if a simple sufficient condition is satisfied, then the perturbed solution is locally unique, continuous, and directionally differentiable. Furthermore, under an additional regularity assumption, the perturbed solution is also continuously differentiable.     

Existence and Uniqueness of Viscosity Solutions for Nonlinear Variational Inequalities Associated with Mixed Control

The author investigates the nonlinear parabolic variational inequality derived from the mixed stochastic control problem on finite horizon. Supposing that some sufficiently smooth conditions hold, by the dynamic programming principle, the author builds the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman(HJB for short) variational inequality for the value function.The author also proves that the value function is the unique viscosity solution of the HJB variational inequality and gives an application to the quasi-variat...     

Approximation of optimal stopping problems

We consider optimal stopping of independent sequences. Assuming that the corresponding imbedded planar point processes converge to a Poisson process we introduce some additional conditions which allow to approximate the optimal stopping problem of the discrete time sequence by the optimal stopping of the limiting Poisson process. The optimal stopping of the involved Poisson processes is reduced to a differential equation for the critical curve which can be solved in several examples. We apply this method to obtain approximations for the stopping of iid sequences in the domain of max-stable laws with observation costs and with discount factors.     

Mixed Optimal Stopping and Stochastic Control Problems with Semicontinuous Final Reward for Diffusion Processes

We consider mixed control problems for diffusion processes, i.e. problems which involve both optimal control and stopping. The running reward is assumed to be smooth, but the stopping reward need only be semicontinuous. We show that, under suitable conditions, the value function w has the same regularity as the final reward g, i.e. w is lower or upper semicontinuous if g is. Furthermore, when g is l.s.c., we prove that the value function is a viscosity solution of the associated variational inequality.     

On the definition of viscosity solutions for parabolic equations

In this short note we suggest a refinement for the definition of viscosity solutions for parabolic equations. The new version of the definition is equivalent to the usual one and it better adapts to the properties of parabolic equations. The basic idea is to determine the admissibility of a test function based on its behavior prior to the given moment of time and ignore what happens at times after that.

     

Discontinuous viscosity solutions to dirichlet problems for hamilton-jacob1 equations with

We introduce a new formulation of Dirichlet problem for a class of first order, nonlinear equations containing the minimum time problem, whose solution is expected to be discontinuous. We prove existence, uniqueness and representation formulas for the solution in the sense of viscosity solutions. Our method relies on a new way of prescribing the boundary condition, the use of recent ideas of Barron-Jensen [8] and Barles [5] , and the derivation of a "backwards" dynamic programming principle. We use the same ideas to prove uniqueness for the usual Dicchlet type formulation, following Ishii [13] and Bales-Perthame [6], under additional regularity conditions on the domain.     

Combined Optimal Stopping and Singular Stochastic Control

In this article, a simple of combined singular stochastic control and optimal stopping in the jump-diffusion model is formulated and solved. We give sufficient conditions for the existence of an optimal strategy which has the same form as in continuous case given by Davis and Zervos [3 Davis , M.H.A. , and Zervos , M. 1994. A problem of singular stochastic control with discretionary stopping. Annals of Applied Probility 4(1):226–240. [Google Scholar]] and also Karatzas et al. [5 Karatzas , I. , Ocone , D. , Wang , H. , and Zervos , M. 2000 . Finite-fuel singular control with discretionary stopping . Stochastics and Stochastics Reports 71 : 1 – 50 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]]. This result is applied to solve explicitly an example of such problem.     

Existence of solutions for wave-type hemivariational inequalities with noncoercive viscosity damping

In this paper we prove the existence of solutions for a hyperbolic hemivariational inequality of the form

u″+Au′+Bu+∂j(u)∋f,     

Optimal stopping of switching diffusions with state dependent switching rates

This paper is concerned with a continuous-time and infinite-horizon optimal stopping problem in switching diffusion models. In contrast to the assumption commonly made in the literature that the regime-switching is modeled by an independent Markov chain, we consider in this paper the case of state-dependent regime-switching. The Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation associated with the optimal stopping problem is given by a system of coupled variational inequalities. By means of the dynamic programming (DP) principle, we prove that the value function is the unique viscosity solution of the HJB system. As an interesting application in mathematical finance, we examine the problem of pricing perpetual American put options with state-dependent regime-switching. A numerical procedure is developed based on the DP approach and an efficient discrete tree approximation of the continuous asset price process. Numerical results are reported.     

On time-inconsistent stopping problems and mixed strategy stopping times

A game-theoretic framework for time-inconsistent stopping problems where the time-inconsistency is due to the consideration of a non-linear function of an expected reward is developed. A class of mixed strategy stopping times that allows the agents in the game to jointly choose the intensity function of a Cox process is introduced and motivated. A subgame perfect Nash equilibrium is defined. The equilibrium is characterized and other necessary and sufficient equilibrium conditions including a smooth fit result are proved. Existence and uniqueness are investigated. A mean–variance and a variance problem are studied. The state process is a general one-dimensional Itô diffusion.     

Optimal Control of Variational Inequalities with Delays in the Highest Order Spatial Derivatives

In this paper, an optimal control problem for parabolic variational inequalities with delays in the highest order spatial derivatives is investigated. The well-posedness of such kinds of variational inequalities is established. The existence of optimal controls under a Cesari-type condition is proved, and the necessary conditions of Pontryagin type for optimal controls is derived.     

Optimal stopping of a Brownian bridge with an unknown pinning point

The problem of stopping a Brownian bridge with an unknown pinning point to maximise the expected value at the stopping time is studied. A few general properties, such as continuity and various bounds of the value function, are established. However, structural properties of the optimal stopping region are shown to crucially depend on the prior, and we provide a general condition for a one-sided stopping region. Moreover, a detailed analysis is conducted in the cases of the two-point and the mixed Gaussian priors, revealing a rich structure present in the problem.