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.     

Optimal consumption and portfolio policies with the consumption habit constraints and the terminal wealth downside constraints

In this paper, we consider the optimal consumption and portfolio policies with the consumption habit constraints and the terminal wealth downside constraints, that is, here the consumption rate is greater than or equal to some nonnegative process, and the terminal wealth is no less than some positive constant. Using the martingale approach, we get the optimal consumption and portfolio policies.     

Optimal investment,consumption and timing of annuity purchase under a preference change

In this paper, we study the optimal investment and consumption strategies for a retired individual who has the opportunity of choosing a discretionary stopping time to purchase an annuity. We assume that the individual receives a fixed annuity income and changes his/her preference after paying a fixed cost for annuitization. By using the martingale method and the variational inequality method, we tackle this problem and obtain the optimal strategies and the value function explicitly for the case of constant force of mortality and constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility function.     

Optimal strategies for asset allocation and consumption under stochastic volatility

Selecting optimal asset allocation and consumption strategies is an important, but difficult, topic in modern finance. The dynamics is governed by a nonlinear partial differential equation. Stochastic volatility adds further complication. Even to obtain a numerical solution is challenging. Here, we develop a closed-form approximate solution. We show that our theoretical predictions for the optimal asset allocation strategy and the optimal consumption strategy are in surprisingly good agreement with the results from full numerical computations.     

AN OPTIMAL INVESTMENT／CONSUMPTIONPROBLEM WITH HIGHER BORROWING RATE

In this paper, optimal investment and consumption decisions for an optimal choiceproblem in infinite borizon are considered, for an investor who has available a bank account anda stock whose price is a log normal diffusion. The bank pays at an interest rate r for any de-posit, and takes at a larger rate / for any loan. As in the paper of Xu Wensheng and ChenShuping in JAMS(B), where an analogous problem in finite horizon is studied, optimal strategies are obtained via Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (ladE) equation which is derived from dynamic c1-programming principle. For the specific HARA case, i.e. U(t,c)=e^-βtc^1-R/1-R, this paper getsthe optimal consumption and optimal investment in the form of c^‘1 =β -^-g/Rwi and π^‘1= b -- γ / Rσ^2wr, with γ1,=max{γ,min{γ‘,b--Rσ^2‘} },^-g=(1--R)[γ (b-γ)^2/2Rσ^2]. This result coincides with the classical one under condition γ‘ ≡γ.     

Optimal portfolio, consumption and retirement decision under a preference change

We investigate an optimal portfolio, consumption and retirement decision problem in which an economic agent can determine the discretionary stopping time as a retirement time with constant labor wage and disutility. We allow the preference of the agent to be changed before and after retirement. It is assumed that the agent's coefficient of relative risk aversion becomes higher after retirement. Under a constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility function, we obtain the optimal policies in closed-forms using martingale methods and variational inequality methods. We give some numerical results of the optimal policies. We also consider the relation between the level of disutility and the labor wage with the optimal retirement wealth level.     

On consumption/investment problems with long-term time-average utilities

We study consumption/investment problems with long-term time-average utilities. The associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation can be solved under some regularity conditions of utility rate function, and the optimal portfolio and consumption-rates are exhibited in explicit forms. An application to the optimization problem with finite horizon is also given     

Optimal portfolio choice for an insurer with loss aversion

The problem of optimal investment for an insurance company attracts more attention in recent years. In general, the investment decision maker of the insurance company is assumed to be rational and risk averse. This is inconsistent with non fully rational decision-making way in the real world. In this paper we investigate an optimal portfolio selection problem for the insurer. The investment decision maker is assumed to be loss averse. The surplus process of the insurer is modeled by a Lévy process. The insurer aims to maximize the expected utility when terminal wealth exceeds his aspiration level. With the help of martingale method, we translate the dynamic maximization problem into an equivalent static optimization problem. By solving the static optimization problem, we derive explicit expressions of the optimal portfolio and the optimal wealth process.     

Optimal consumption and portfolio selection with quadratic utility and a subsistence consumption constraint

In this article, we analyze the optimal consumption and investment policy of an agent who has a quadratic felicity function and faces a subsistence consumption constraint. The agent's optimal investment in the risky asset increases linearly for low wealth levels. Risk taking continues to increase at a decreasing rate for wealth levels higher than subsistence wealth until it hits a maximum at a certain wealth level, and declines for wealth levels above this threshold. Further, the agent has a bliss level of consumption, since if an agent consumes more than this level she will suffer utility loss. Eventually her risk taking becomes zero at a wealth level which supports her bliss consumption.     

Symmetry-based solution of a model for a combination of a risky investment and a riskless investment

Benth and Karlsen [F.E. Benth, K.H. Karlsen, A note on Merton's portfolio selection problem for the Schwartz mean-reversion model, Stoch. Anal. Appl. 23 (2005) 687-704] treated a problem of the optimisation of the selection of a portfolio based upon the Schwartz mean-reversion model. The resulting Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation in 1+2 dimensions is quite nonlinear. The solution obtained by Benth and Karlsen was very ingenious. We provide a solution of the problem based on the application of the Lie theory of continuous groups to the partial differential equation and its associated boundary and terminal conditions.     

An optimal time-management policy for labor supply and consumption decisions

The paper studies decisions regarding labor supply, consumption and cash savings that maximize the total utility of consumption and non-labor time of an individual. A new dynamic model that studies the relationship between time and wealth, with the goal of determining the optimal fractions of time an individual should allocate to three different types of activities: labor, consumption, and recreation, is developed. We analyze the optimality conditions, construct optimal solutions, and discuss their properties with respect to the division of time for two types of individuals, who can be characterized as consumption-averse and consumption-seeking. A consumption-averse individual does not enjoy shopping time, but when shopping spends money intensively. A consumption-seeking person does enjoy shopping time and spends money slowly. The difference in decision making of the two types of individuals is illustrated by comparing the optimal division of time at a singular regime that takes place over a substantial part of the planning horizon.     

一类证券市场中投资组合及消费选择的最优控制问题

研究一类证券市场中投资组合及消费选择的最优控制问题．在随机干扰源相互关联情形下,运用动态规划方法,对一类典型的效用函数CRRA(Constant Relative Risk Aversion,常数相对风险厌恶)情形,得到了最优投资组合及消费选择的显式解,并给出了最优解的经济解释和关于部分参数的灵敏度分析．     

Optimal investment and consumption models with non-linear stock dynamics

We study a generalization of the Merton's original problem of optimal consumption and portfolio choice for a single investor in an intertemporal economy. The agent trades between a bond and a stock account and he may consume out of his bond holdings. The price of the bond is deterministic as opposed to the stock price which is modelled as a diffusion process. The main assumption is that the coefficients of the stock price diffusion are arbitrary nonlinear functions of the underlying process. The investor's goal is to maximize his expected utility from terminal wealth and/or his expected utility of intermediate consumption. The individual preferences are of Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) type for both the consumption stream and the terminal wealth. Employing a novel transformation, we are able to produce closed form solutions for the value function and the optimal policies. In the absence of intermediate consumption, the value function can be expressed in terms of a power of the solution of a homogeneous linear parabolic equation. When intermediate consumption is allowed, the value function is expressed via the solution of a non-homogeneous linear parabolic equation.     

Finite-horizon optimal investment with transaction costs: A parabolic double obstacle problem

This paper concerns optimal investment problem of a CRRA investor who faces proportional transaction costs and finite time horizon. From the angle of stochastic control, it is a singular control problem, whose value function is governed by a time-dependent HJB equation with gradient constraints. We reveal that the problem is equivalent to a parabolic double obstacle problem involving two free boundaries that correspond to the optimal buying and selling policies. This enables us to make use of the well-developed theory of obstacle problem to attack the problem. The C2,1 regularity of the value function is proven and the behaviors of the free boundaries are completely characterized.     

Portfolio choice and optimal hedging with general risk functions: A simplex-like algorithm

The minimization of general risk functions is becoming more and more important in portfolio choice theory and optimal hedging. There are two major reasons. Firstly, heavy tails and the lack of symmetry in the returns of many assets provokes that the classical optimization of the standard deviation may lead to dominated strategies, from the point of view of the second order stochastic dominance. Secondly, but not less important, many institutional investors must respect legal capital requirements, which may be more easily studied if one deals with a risk measure related to capital losses.     

An optimal replenishment policy for deteriorating items with effective investment in preservation technology

In this paper, considering the amount invested in preservation technology and the replenishment schedule as decision variables, we formulate an inventory model with a time-varying rate of deterioration and partial backlogging. The objective is to find the optimal replenishment and preservation technology investment strategies while maximizing the total profit per unit time. For any given preservation technology cost, we first prove that the optimal replenishment schedule not only exists but is unique. Next, under given replenishment schedule, we show that the total profit per unit time is a concave function of preservation technology cost. We then provide a simple algorithm to figure out the optimal preservation technology cost and replenishment schedule for the proposed model. We use numerical examples to illustrate the model.     

Mean-risk analysis of risk aversion and wealth effects on optimal portfolios with multiple investment opportunities

In this paper, we first define risk in an axiomatic way and a class of utility functions suitable for the so-called mean-risk analysis. Then, we show that, in a portfolio selection problem with multiple risky investments, an investor who is more risk averse in the Arrow-Pratt sense prefers less risk, in the sense of this paper, with less mean return, and an investor who displays increasing (decreasing) relative risk aversion becomes more conservative (aggressive) as the initial capital increases. The risk aversion effect for diversification on optimal portfolios is also discussed.     

An optimal portfolio model with stochastic volatility and stochastic interest rate

We consider a portfolio optimization problem under stochastic volatility as well as stochastic interest rate on an infinite time horizon. It is assumed that risky asset prices follow geometric Brownian motion and both volatility and interest rate vary according to ergodic Markov diffusion processes and are correlated with risky asset price. We use an asymptotic method to obtain an optimal consumption and investment policy and find some characteristics of the policy depending upon the correlation between the underlying risky asset price and the stochastic interest rate.