Parabolic variational inequality with parameter and gradient constraints

This paper concerns a singular control problem whose value function is governed by a time-dependent HJB equation with gradient constraints. The method is to transform a two-dimensional parabolic variational inequality with gradient constraints into a double obstacle problem with parameter involving two free boundaries that correspond to the investment and disinvestment policies. Moreover we analyze the behaviors of the free boundary surfaces. The main difficulties are to show the free boundary surfaces to be smooth with respect to time and to find the properties of free boundaries with respect to parameter.     

Debt–equity swap with finite time horizon—variational inequality approach

This paper concerns the finite-horizon optimal reorganization problem under debt–equity swap. The model of equity is formulated as a parabolic variational inequality, or equivalently, a free boundary problem, where the free boundary corresponds to the optimal reorganization boundary. The existence and uniqueness of the solution are proven and the behavior of the free boundary, such as smoothness, monotonicity and boundedness, is studied. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first complete set of results on debt–equity swap for finite maturity obtained using PDE techniques.     

A uniqueness theorem for a free boundary problem

In this paper, we prove a uniqueness theorem for a free boundary problem which is given in the form of a variational inequality. This free boundary problem arises as the limit of an equation that serves as a basic model in population biology. Apart from the interest in the problem itself, the techniques used in this paper, which are based on the regularity theory of variational inequalities and of harmonic functions, are of independent interest, and may have other applications.

     

A variational inequality arising from American installment call options pricing

In this paper we consider a parabolic variational inequality with two free boundaries arising from American continuous-installment call options pricing. We prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution to the problem. Moreover, we obtain the monotonicity and smoothness of two free boundaries and show its numerical solution by the binomial method.     

Random times at which insiders can have free lunches

We consider models of time continuous financial markets with a regular trader and an insider who are able to invest into one risky asset. The insider's additional knowledge consists in his ability to stop at a random time which is inaccessible to the regular trader, such as the last passage of a certain level before maturity by some stock price process, or the time at which the stock price reaches its maximum during the trading interval. We show that under very mild assumptions on the coefficients of the diffusion process describing these price processes the information drift caused by the additional knowledge of the insider cannot be eliminated by an equivalent change of probability measure. As a consequence, all our models allow the insider to have free lunches with vanishing risk, or even to exercise arbitrage.     

Optimal dividend payments in the stochastic Ramsey model

We consider the dividend payments of a self-financing firm in the stochastic Ramsey model. The firm invests in capital stock and its production technology is given by the Cobb–Douglas function. Our objective is to maximize the expected present value of future real dividends subject to a positive constraint on the capital stock. We use the penalization method to obtain a solution for the variational inequality associated with the optimal growth problem and give a synthesis of the optimal dividend policy.     

On a Variational Inequality Formulation of an Electrochemical Machining Moving Boundary Problem and its Approximation by the Finite Element Method

An electrochemical machining moving boundary problem is formulated,after a change of variable, as an elliptic variational inequality.The unknown anode surface may now be found by solving just oneelliptic free boundary problem. The variational inequality isapproximated by the finite element method and numerical resultsare presented.     

On a boundary variational inequality of the second kind modelling a friction problem

A scalar contact problem with friction governed by the Yukawa equation is reduced to a boundary variational inequality. The presence of the non‐differentiable friction functional causes some difficulties when approximated. We present two methods to overcome this difficulty. The first one is a regularization leading to a non‐linear boundary variational equation, for which we propose an iterative procedure, whereas the second method is based on the boundary mixed variational formulation involving Lagrange multipliers. We propose Uzawa's algorithm to compute the saddle point of the corresponding boundary Lagrangian and investigate the discretization of various formulations by the boundary element Galerkin method. Convergence of the boundary element solution is proved and a convergence order is obtained. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE REGULARITY OF THE FREE BOUNDARY FOR STRIKE RESET OPTION

A strike reset option is an option that allows its holder to reset the strike price to the prevailing underlying asset price at a moment chosen by the holder. The pricing model of the option can be formulated as a parabolic variational inequality and the optimal reset strategy is the free boundary. The smoothness of the free boundary in some cases was showed in our article published in JDE. We would prove its smoothness in the other case in this paper by a generalized comparison principle for the variational inequality.     

The regularity of the free boundary for strike reset option

A strike reset option is an option that allows its holder to reset the strike price to the prevailing underlying asset price at a moment chosen by the holder. The pricing model of the option can be formulated as a parabolic variational inequality and the optimal reset strategy is the free boundary. The smoothness of the free boundary in some cases was showed in our article published in JDE. We would prove its smoothness in the other case in this paper by a generalized comparison principle for the variational inequality.     

A parabolic variational inequality arising from the valuation of strike reset options

A strike reset option is an option that allows its holder to reset the strike price to the prevailing underlying asset price at a moment chosen by the holder. The pricing model of the option can be formulated as a one-dimensional parabolic variational inequality, or equivalently, a free boundary problem, where the free boundary just corresponds to the optimal reset strategy adopted by the holder of the option. This paper is concerned with the theoretical analysis of the model. The existence and uniqueness of the solution are established. Furthermore, we study properties of the free boundary. The monotonicity and C^∞ smoothness of the free boundary are proven in some situations.     

BOUNDARY ELEMENT APPROXIMATION OF THE SEMI-DISCRETE PARABOLIC VARIATIONAL INEQUALITIES OF THE SECOND KIND

The boundary element approximation of the parabolic variational inequalities of the second kind is discussed. First, the parabolic variational inequalities of the second kind can be reduced to an elliptic variational inequality by using semidiscretization and implicit method in time; then the existence and uniqueness for the solution of nonlinear non-differentiable mixed variational inequality is discussed. Its corresponding mixed boundary variational inequality and the existence and uniqueness of its solution are yielded. This provides the theoretical basis for using boundary element method to solve the mixed vuriational inequality.     

W1{infty}-convergence of the discrete free boundary for obstacle problems

We examine the discrete free boundaries arising from a finiteelement discretization of a variational inequality. We giveL error bounds for the Hausdorff distance of the discrete andtrue free boundary, as well as for the normals. The theoreticalresults are confirmed by numerical experiments in two and threedimensions.     

A modified Korpelevich's method convergent to the minimum-norm solution of a variational inequality

In this article, we propose a modified Korpelevich's method for solving variational inequalities. Under some mild assumptions, we show that the suggested method converges strongly to the minimum-norm solution of some variational inequality in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space.     

A priori error analysis of the mortar finite element method for variational inequalities

The mortar finite element method is a special domain decomposition method, which can handle the situation where meshes on different subdomains need not align across the interface. In this article, we will apply the mortar element method to general variational inequalities of free boundary type, such as free seepage flow, which may show different behaviors in different regions. We prove that if the solution of the original variational inequality belongs to H²(D), then the mortar element solution can achieve the same order error estimate as the conforming P₁ finite element solution. Application of the mortar element method to a free surface seepage problem and an obstacle problem verifies not only its convergence property but also its great computational efficiency. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2008     

A nonoverlapping domain decomposition method for variational inequalities derived from free boundary problems

The article proposes a nonoverlapping domain decomposition method for variational inequalities derived from free boundary problems. The free boundary value problem is broken up into two problems on nonoverlapping regions. In one region the problem is treated as a partial differential equation, while in the second region that contains the free boundary part, a variational inequality is considered. By solving these two related problems successively, we have shown that the successive solutions converge to the solution of the original problem. Application to a free surface seepage problem is given. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2006     

The Solvability of Nonlinear Split Ordered Variational Inequality Problems in Partially Ordered Vector Spaces

The concept of nonlinear split ordered variational inequality problems on partially ordered Banach spaces extends the concept of the linear split vector variational inequality problems on Banach spaces, while the latter is a natural extension of vector variational inequality problems on Banach spaces. In this article, we prove the solvability of some nonlinear split vector variational inequality problems by using fixed-point theorems on partially ordered Banach spaces. It is important to notice that in the results obtained in this article, the considered mappings are not required to have any type of continuity and they just satisfy some order-monotonic conditions. Consequently, both the solvability of linear split vector variational inequality problems and vector variational inequality problems will be immediately obtained from the solvability of nonlinear split vector variational inequality problems. We will apply these results to solving nonlinear split vector optimization problems. The underlying spaces of the considered variational inequality problems may just be vector spaces which do not have topological structures, the considered mappings are not required to satisfy any continuity conditions, which just satisfy some order-increasing conditions.     

Global Method for Monotone Variational Inequality Problems with Inequality Constraints

We consider optimization methods for monotone variational inequality problems with nonlinear inequality constraints. First, we study the mixed complementarity problem based on the original problem. Then, a merit function for the mixed complementarity problem is proposed, and some desirable properties of the merit function are obtained. Through the merit function, the original variational inequality problem is reformulated as simple bounded minimization. Under certain assumptions, we show that any stationary point of the optimization problem is a solution of the problem considered. Finally, we propose a descent method for the variational inequality problem and prove its global convergence.     

A variational inequality arising from European option pricing with transaction costs

In this paper we present a method which can transform a variational inequality with gradient constraints into a usual two obstacles problem in one dimensional case.The prototype of the problem is a parabolic variational inequality with the constraints of two first order differential inequalities arising from a two-dimensional model of European call option pricing with transaction costs.We obtain the monotonicity and smoothness of two free boundaries.     

Optimal investment, consumption and retirement choice problem with disutility and subsistence consumption constraints

In this paper we consider a general optimal consumption-portfolio selection problem of an infinitely-lived agent whose consumption rate process is subject to subsistence constraints before retirement. That is, her consumption rate should be greater than or equal to some positive constant before retirement. We integrate three optimal decisions which are the optimal consumption, the optimal investment choice and the optimal stopping problem in which the agent chooses her retirement time in one model. We obtain the explicit forms of optimal policies using a martingale method and a variational inequality arising from the dual function of the optimal stopping problem. We treat the optimal retirement time as the first hitting time when her wealth exceeds a certain wealth level which will be determined by a free boundary value problem and duality approaches. We also derive closed forms of the optimal wealth processes before and after retirement. Some numerical examples are presented for the case of constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility class.