Conic mixed-integer rounding cuts

A conic integer program is an integer programming problem with conic constraints. Many problems in finance, engineering, statistical learning, and probabilistic optimization are modeled using conic constraints. Here we study mixed-integer sets defined by second-order conic constraints. We introduce general-purpose cuts for conic mixed-integer programming based on polyhedral conic substructures of second-order conic sets. These cuts can be readily incorporated in branch-and-bound algorithms that solve either second-order conic programming or linear programming relaxations of conic integer programs at the nodes of the branch-and-bound tree. Central to our approach is a reformulation of the second-order conic constraints with polyhedral second-order conic constraints in a higher dimensional space. In this representation the cuts we develop are linear, even though they are nonlinear in the original space of variables. This feature leads to a computationally efficient implementation of nonlinear cuts for conic mixed-integer programming. The reformulation also allows the use of polyhedral methods for conic integer programming. We report computational results on solving unstructured second-order conic mixed-integer problems as well as mean–variance capital budgeting problems and least-squares estimation problems with binary inputs. Our computational experiments show that conic mixed-integer rounding cuts are very effective in reducing the integrality gap of continuous relaxations of conic mixed-integer programs and, hence, improving their solvability. This research has been supported, in part, by Grant # DMI0700203 from the National Science Foundation.     

Optimal asset allocation for aggregated defined benefit pension funds with stochastic interest rates

In this paper we study the optimal management of an aggregated pension fund of defined benefit type, in the presence of a stochastic interest rate. We suppose that the sponsor can invest in a savings account, in a risky stock and in a bond with the aim of minimizing deviations of the unfunded actuarial liability from zero along a finite time horizon. We solve the problem by means of optimal stochastic control techniques and analyze the influence on the optimal solution of some of the parameters involved in the model.     

Financial planning for young households

We analyze the financial planning problems of young households whose main decisions are how to finance the purchase of a house (liabilities) and how to allocate investments in pension savings schemes (assets). The problems are solved using a multi-stage stochastic programming model where the uncertainty is described by a scenario tree generated from a vector auto-regressive process for equity returns and interest rate evolution. We find strong evidence of the importance of taking into account the multi-stage nature of the problem, as well as the need to consider the asset and liability sides jointly.     

Generalized financial ratios

Ratios of random variables are prevalent in finance. Examples include: current ratio, sales margin, changes in capital employed, interest cover, liabilities ratio and financial leverage ratio. In this note, we derive the exact distribution of the ratio X/(X + Y) when X and Y are independent generalized Pareto random variables, Pareto distribution being the first and the most popular distribution used in finance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A generic model for spouse’s pensions with a view towards the calculation of liabilities

We introduce a generic model for spouse’s pensions. The generic model allows for the modeling of various types of spouse’s pensions with payments commencing at the death of the insured. We derive abstract formulas for cashflows and liabilities corresponding to common types of spouse’s pensions. In particular, we show that our generic model allows for simple modeling of longevity improvements, enabling the calculation of the Solvency II capital requirements related to longevity risk for spouse’s pensions.     

Mean–variance asset–liability management with asset correlation risk and insurance liabilities

Consider an insurer who invests in the financial market where correlations among risky asset returns are randomly changing over time. The insurer who faces the risk of paying stochastic insurance claims needs to manage her asset and liability by taking into account of the correlation risk. This paper investigates the impact of correlation risk to the optimal asset–liability management (ALM) of an insurer. We employ the Wishart process to model the stochastic covariance matrix of risky asset returns. The insurer aims to minimize the variance of the terminal wealth given an expected terminal wealth subject to the risk of paying out random liabilities of compound Poisson process. This ALM problem then becomes a linear–quadratic stochastic optimal control problem with stochastic volatilities, stochastic correlations and jumps. The recognition of an affine form in the solution process enables us to derive the explicit closed-form solution to the optimal ALM portfolio policy, obtain the efficient frontier, and identify the condition that the solution is well behaved.     

股权激励下的高管冒险决策与最优或有薪酬

股权类薪酬可导致高管冒险决策,而“内部债”是解决这个问题的可行方案。或有薪酬作为一种新型的“内部债”模式得到了实务界的重视,但如何设计或有薪酬以缓解股权激励下的高管冒险决策尚无理论研究。本文利用动态规划方法,得到高管薪酬价值及企业证券价值的显式解;构建委托代理模型,给出薪酬合同激励相容的一个充分条件;并给出了最优合同的数值结果及定量分析。分析表明:与单纯的股权薪酬相比,或有薪酬有效缓解了高管的冒险决策,促使其顾及社会总福利、注重企业长期发展。     

Mixed-integer second-order cone programming for lower hedging of American contingent claims in incomplete markets

We describe a challenging class of large mixed-integer second-order cone programming models which arise in computing the maximum price that a buyer is willing to disburse to acquire an American contingent claim in an incomplete financial market with no arbitrage opportunity. Taking the viewpoint of an investor who is willing to allow a controlled amount of risk by replacing the classical no-arbitrage assumption with a “no good-deal assumption” defined using an arbitrage-adjusted Sharpe ratio criterion we formulate the problem of computing the pricing and hedging of an American option in a financial market described by a multi-period, discrete-time, finite-state scenario tree as a large-scale mixed-integer conic optimization problem. We report computational results with off-the-shelf mixed-integer conic optimization software.     

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。     

Multivariate tail conditional expectation for elliptical distributions

In this paper we introduce a novel type of a multivariate tail conditional expectation (MTCE) risk measure and explore its properties. We derive an explicit closed-form expression for this risk measure for the elliptical family of distributions taking into account its variance–covariance dependency structure. As a special case we consider the normal, Student-t and Laplace distributions, important and popular in actuarial science and finance. The motivation behind taking the multivariate TCE for the elliptical family comes from the fact that unlike the traditional tail conditional expectation, the MTCE measure takes into account the covariation between dependent risks, which is the case when we are dealing with real data of losses. We illustrate our results using numerical examples in the case of normal and Student-t distributions.     

An integrated pricing model for defaultable loans and bonds

In recent years, credit risk has played a key role in risk management issues. Practitioners, academics and regulators have been fully involved in the process of developing, studying and analysing credit risk models in order to find the elements which characterize a sound risk management system. In this paper we present an integrated model, based on a reduced pricing approach, for market and credit risk. Its main features are those of being mark to market and that the spread term structure by rating class is contingent on the seniority of debt within an arbitrage-free framework. We introduce issues such as, the integration of market and credit risk, the use of stochastic recovery rates and recovery by seniority. Moreover, we will characterize default risk by estimating migration risk through a “mortality rate”, actuarial-based, approach. The resultant probabilities will be the base for determining multi-period risk-neutral transition probability that allow pricing of risky debt in the trading and banking book.     

On the application of Wishart process to the pricing of equity derivatives: the multi-asset case

Given the inherent complexity of financial markets, a wide area of research in the field of mathematical finance is devoted to develop accurate models for the pricing of contingent claims. Focusing on the stochastic volatility approach (i.e. we assume to describe asset volatility as an additional stochastic process), it appears desirable to introduce reliable dynamics in order to take into account the presence of several assets involved in the definition of multi-asset payoffs. In this article we deal with the multi asset Wishart Affine Stochastic Correlation model, that makes use of Wishart process to describe the stochastic variance covariance matrix of assets return. The resulting parametrization turns out to be a genuine multi-asset extension of the Heston model: each asset is exactly described by a single instance of the Heston dynamics while the joint behaviour is enriched by cross-assets and cross-variances stochastic correlation, all wrapped in an affine modeling. In this framework, we propose a fast and accurate calibration procedure, and two Monte Carlo simulation schemes.

     

On market value margins and cost of capital

The valuation of insurance liabilities plays a central role in the design of any solvency framework. We investigate the notion of “fair value of liabilities” at a conceptional level and compare several implementations which are currently discussed in the Solvency II project. Our focus is on the cost of capital approach based on market information. In particular, we discuss the applicability of arguments borrowed from financial mathematics.     

CONIC TRUST REGION METHOD FOR LINEARLY CONSTRAINED OPTIMIZATION

In this paper we present a trust region method of conic model for linearly constrained optimization problems.We discuss trust region approaches with conic model subproblems.Some equivalent variation properties and optimality conditions are given.A trust region algorithm based on conic model is constructed.Global convergence of the method is established.     

确定性需求连续生产模型下的最优保理融资策略

保理是融资机构基于供应链上下游企业之间实际发生交易而给予供应链卖方企业的一种短期融资。基于连续生产模型研究了资金约束制造商的最优保理融资策略。考虑保理时间决策对融资成本和需求损失的影响,比较了固定期保理和即时保理两种策略下制造商的利润。研究发现,固定期保理策略下的最优保理时间随着其边际利润的增加而提前,而随着保理费率上升、应收款账期延长、自有资金增加而延迟。数值研究结果发现,保理商最优保理费率随着应收账款账期延长而降低。     

解新锥模型信赖域子问题的折线法

本文以新锥模型信赖域子问题的最优性条件为理论基础,认真讨论了新子问题的锥函数性质,分析了此函数在梯度方向及与牛顿方向连线上的单调性.在此基础上本文提出了一个求解新锥模型信赖域子问题折线法,并证明了这一子算法保证解无约束优化问题信赖域法全局收敛性要满足的下降条件.本文获得的数值实验表明该算法是有效的.     

On the regulator–insurer interaction in a structural model

In this paper, we provide a new insight to the previous work of Briys and de Varenne [E. Briys, F. de Varenne, Life insurance in a contingent claim framework: Pricing and regulatory implications, Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance Theory 19 (1) (1994) 53–72], Grosen and Jørgensen [A. Grosen, P.L. Jørgensen, Life insurance liabilities at market value: An analysis of insolvency risk, bonus policy, and regulatory intervention rules in a barrier option framework, Journal of Risk and Insurance 69 (1) (2002) 63–91] and Chen and Suchanecki [A. Chen, M. Suchanecki, Default risk, bankruptcy procedures and the market value of life insurance liabilities, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 40 (2007) 231–255]. We show that the particular risk management strategy followed by the insurance company can significantly change the risk exposure of the company, and that it should thus be taken into account by regulators. We first study how the regulator establishes regulation intervention levels in order to control for instance the default probability of the insurance company. This part of the analysis is based on a constant volatility. Given that the insurance company is informed of regulatory rules, we study how results can be significantly different when the insurance company follows a risk management strategy with non-constant volatilities. We thus highlight some limits of the prior literature and believe that the risk management strategy of the company should be taken into account in the estimation of the risk exposure as well as in that of the market value of liabilities.     

苏州外资制造业经济增长因素贡献率测算模型与分析

在经济增长因素分析中,人们常用生产函数来分析经济增长过程,测算各要素对经济增长的贡献率.本文利用柯布-道格拉斯生产函数给出苏州外资制造业经济增长的六个影响因素贡献率测算模型与分析,由于六个影响因素之间存在多重共线性,为消除多重共线性,使模型合理,本文使用主成分回归建立模型,结果令人满意。     

Robust combinatorial optimization with variable budgeted uncertainty

We introduce a new model for robust combinatorial optimization where the uncertain parameters belong to the image of multifunctions of the problem variables. In particular, we study the variable budgeted uncertainty, an extension of the budgeted uncertainty introduced by Bertsimas and Sim. Variable budgeted uncertainty can provide the same probabilistic guarantee as the budgeted uncertainty while being less conservative for vectors with few non-zero components. The feasibility set of the resulting optimization problem is in general non-convex so that we propose a mixed-integer programming reformulation for the problem, based on the dualization technique often used in robust linear programming. We show how to extend these results to non-binary variables and to more general multifunctions involving uncertainty set defined by conic constraints that are affine in the problem variables. We present a computational comparison of the budgeted uncertainty and the variable budgeted uncertainty on the robust knapsack problem. The experiments show a reduction of the price of robustness by an average factor of 18 %.     

A general approach to Bayesian portfolio optimization

We develop a general approach to portfolio optimization taking account of estimation risk and stylized facts of empirical finance. This is done within a Bayesian framework. The approximation of the posterior distribution of the unknown model parameters is based on a parallel tempering algorithm. The portfolio optimization is done using the first two moments of the predictive discrete asset return distribution. For illustration purposes we apply our method to empirical stock market data where daily asset log-returns are assumed to follow an orthogonal MGARCH process with t-distributed perturbations. Our results are compared with other portfolios suggested by popular optimization strategies.