Utility Indifference Pricing: A Time Consistent Approach

Abstract

This article considers the optimal portfolio selection problem in a dynamic multi-period stochastic framework with regime switching. The risk preferences are of exponential (CARA) type with an absolute coefficient of risk aversion that changes with the regime. The market model is incomplete and there are two risky assets: tradable and non-tradable. In this context, the optimal investment strategies are time inconsistent. Consequently, the subgame perfect equilibrium strategies are considered. The utility indifference ask price of a contingent claim written on the risky assets is computed through an indifference valuation algorithm. By running numerical experiments, we examine how this price varies in response to changes in model parameters.     

Portfolio optimization in a Lévy market with intertemporal substitution and transaction costs

We investigate an infinite horizon investment-consumption model in which a single agent consumes and distributes her wealth between a risk-free asset (bank account) and several risky assets (stocks) whose prices are governed by Lévy (jump-diffusion) processes. We suppose that transactions between the assets incur a transaction cost proportional to the size of the transaction. The problem is to maximize the total utility of consumption under Hindy-Huang-Kreps intertemporal preferences. This portfolio optimisation problem is formulated as a singular stochastic control problem and is solved using dynamic programming and the theory of viscosity solutions. The associated dynamic programming equation is a second order degenerate elliptic integro-differential variational inequality subject to a state constraint boundary condition. The main result is a characterization of the value function as the unique constrained viscosity solution of the dynamic programming equation. Emphasis is put on providing a framework that allows for a general class of Lévy processes. Owing to the complexity of our investment-consumption model, it is not possible to derive closed form solutions for the value function. Hence, the optimal policies cannot be obtained in closed form from the first order conditions for the dynamic programming equation. Therefore, we have to resort to numerical methods for computing the value function as well as the associated optimal policies. In view of the viscosity solution theory, the analysis found in this paper will ensure the convergence of a large class of numerical methods for the investment-consumption model in question.     

General financial equilibrium with policy interventions: a variational inequality approach

In this paper a model of general financial equilibrium with policy interventions is introduced, which yields the optimal composition of assets and liabilities in each sector's portfolio, as well as the market prices for each instrument. The policy interventions considered are taxes and price ceilings. The variational inequality formulation of the equilibrium conditions is derived and then utilized to establish existence and uniqueness properties of the solution pattern. An algorithm is proposed for the computation of the problem. Finally, the algorithm is applied to some special utility functions as numerical examples.     

A predictable decomposition in an infinite assets model with jumps. Application to hedging and optimal investment

Motivated by the theory of bond markets, we consider an infinite assets model driven by marked point process and Wiener process. The self-financed wealth processes are defined by using measure-valued strategies. Going further on the works of Bjork et al. [“Bond market structure in the presence of marked point processes”, Mathematical Finance, 7 (1997a) pp. 211–239; “Towards a general theory of bond markets”, Finance and Stochastics, 1 (1997b) pp. 141–174] who focus on the existence of martingale measures and market completeness questions, we study here the incompleteness case. Our main result is a predictable decomposition theorem for supermartingales in this infinite assets model context. The concept of approximate wealth processes is introduced, and we show in an example that the space of measure-valued strategies is not complete with respect to the semimartingale topology. As in the case of stock markets, one can then derive a dual representation of the super-replication cost and study the problem of utility maximization by duality methods.     

Portfolio Optimization with Stochastic Volatilities and Constraints: An Application in High Dimension

In this paper we are interested in an investment problem with stochastic volatilities and portfolio constraints on amounts. We model the risky assets by jump diffusion processes and we consider an exponential utility function. The objective is to maximize the expected utility from the investor terminal wealth. The value function is known to be a viscosity solution of an integro-differential Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB in short) equation which could not be solved when the risky assets number exceeds three. Thanks to an exponential transformation, we reduce the nonlinearity of the HJB equation to a semilinear equation. We prove the existence of a smooth solution to the latter equation and we state a verification theorem which relates this solution to the value function. We present an example that shows the importance of this reduction for numerical study of the optimal portfolio. We then compute the optimal strategy of investment by solving the associated optimization problem.     

Optimal time-consistent investment and reinsurance policies for mean-variance insurers

This paper investigates the optimal time-consistent policies of an investment-reinsurance problem and an investment-only problem under the mean-variance criterion for an insurer whose surplus process is approximated by a Brownian motion with drift. The financial market considered by the insurer consists of one risk-free asset and multiple risky assets whose price processes follow geometric Brownian motions. A general verification theorem is developed, and explicit closed-form expressions of the optimal polices and the optimal value functions are derived for the two problems. Economic implications and numerical sensitivity analysis are presented for our results. Our main findings are: (i) the optimal time-consistent policies of both problems are independent of their corresponding wealth processes; (ii) the two problems have the same optimal investment policies; (iii) the parameters of the risky assets (the insurance market) have no impact on the optimal reinsurance (investment) policy; (iv) the premium return rate of the insurer does not affect the optimal policies but affects the optimal value functions; (v) reinsurance can increase the mean-variance utility.     

Optimal asset allocation for pension funds under mortality risk during the accumulation and decumulation phases

In a financial market with one riskless asset and n risky assets whose prices are lognormal, we solve in a closed form the problem of a pension fund maximizing the expected CRRA utility of its surplus till the (stochastic) death time of a representative agent. We consider a unique asset allocation problem for both accumulation and decumulation phases. The optimal investment in the risky assets must decrease during the first phase and increase during the second one. We accordingly suggest it is not optimal to manage the two phases separately, and outsourcing of allocation decisions should be avoided in both phases. JEL: G23, G11 MSC 2000: 62P05, 91B28, 91B30, 91B70, 93E20     

Optimal Basket Liquidation for CARA Investors is Deterministic

Abstract

We consider the problem faced by an investor who must liquidate a given basket of assets over a finite time horizon. The investor's goal is to maximize the expected utility of the sales revenues over a class of adaptive strategies. We assume that the investor's utility has constant absolute risk aversion (CARA) and that the asset prices are given by a very general continuous-time, multiasset price impact model. Our main result is that (perhaps surprisingly) the investor does no worse if he narrows his search to deterministic strategies. In the case where the asset prices are given by an extension of the nonlinear price impact model of Almgren [(2003) Applied Mathematical Finance, 10, pp. 1–18], we characterize the unique optimal strategy via the solution of a Hamilton equation and the value function via a nonlinear partial differential equation with singular initial condition.     

Filtering of a Multi-Dimension Stochastic Volatility Model

In this article, we study a stochastic volatility model for a class of risky assets. We assume that the volatilities of the assets are driven by a common state of economy, which is unobservable and represented by a hidden Markov chain. Under this hidden Markov model (HMM), we develop recursively computable filtering equations for certain functionals of the chain. Expectation maximization (EM) parameter estimation is then used. Applications to an optimal asset allocation problem with mean-variance utility are given.     

Accounting for risk aversion in derivatives purchase timing

We study the problem of optimal timing to buy/sell derivatives by a risk-averse agent in incomplete markets. Adopting the exponential utility indifference valuation, we investigate this timing flexibility and the associated delayed purchase premium. This leads to a stochastic control and optimal stopping problem that combines the observed market price dynamics and the agent??s risk preferences. Our results extend recent work on indifference valuation of American options, as well as the authors?? first paper (Leung and Ludkovski, SIAM J Finan Math 2(1) 768?C793, 2011). In the case of Markovian models of contracts on non-traded assets, we provide analytical characterizations and numerical studies of the optimal purchase strategies, with applications to both equity and credit derivatives.     

Optimal investment and risk control policies for an insurer in an incomplete market

In this paper, we apply the martingale approach to investigate the optimal investment and risk control problem for an insurer in an incomplete market. The claim risk of per policy is characterized by a compound Poisson process with drift, and the insurer can be invested in multiple risky assets whose price processes are described by the geometric Brownian motions model. By ‘complete’ the incomplete market, closed-form solutions to the problems of mean–variance criterion and expected exponential utility maximization are obtained. Moreover, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the results with the basic parameters.     

Portfolio selection problem with multiple risky assets under the constant elasticity of variance model

This paper focuses on the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model for studying the utility maximization portfolio selection problem with multiple risky assets and a risk-free asset. The Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation associated with the portfolio optimization problem is established. By applying a power transform and a variable change technique, we derive the explicit solution for the constant absolute risk aversion (CARA) utility function when the elasticity coefficient is −1 or 0. In order to obtain a general optimal strategy for all values of the elasticity coefficient, we propose a model with two risky assets and one risk-free asset and solve it under a given assumption. Furthermore, we analyze the properties of the optimal strategies and discuss the effects of market parameters on the optimal strategies. Finally, a numerical simulation is presented to illustrate the similarities and differences between the results of the two models proposed in this paper.     

具有共同冲击相依性的跳扩散金融市场中有着延迟和违约风险的鲁棒最优再保险和投资策略

在本文中,我们考虑跳扩散模型下具有延迟和违约风险的鲁棒最优再保险和投资问题,保险人可以投资无风险资产,可违约的债券和两个风险资产,其中两个风险资产遵循跳跃扩散模型且受到同种因素带来共同影响而相互关联.假设允许保险人购买比例再保险,特别地再保险保费利用均值方差保费原则来计算.在考虑与绩效相关的资本流入/流出下,保险公司的财富过程通过随机微分延迟方程建模.保险公司的目标是最大程度地发挥终端财富和平均绩效财富组合的预期指数效用,以分别研究违约前和违约后的情况.此外,推导了最优策略的闭式表达式和相应的价值函数.最后通过数值算例和敏感性分析,表明了各种参数对最优策略的影响.另外对于模糊厌恶投资者,忽视模型模糊性风险会带来显著的效用损失.     

Threshold policies for controlled retrial queues with heterogeneous servers

Retrial queues are an important stochastic model for many telecommunication systems. In order to construct competitive networks it is necessary to investigate ways for optimal control. This paper considers K -server retrial systems with arrivals governed by Neut' Markovian arrival process, and heterogeneous service time distributions of general phase-type. We show that the optimal policy which minimizes the number of customers in the system is of a threshold type with threshold levels depending on the states of the arrival and service processes. An algorithm for the numerical evaluation of an optimal control is proposed on the basis of Howar's iteration algorithm. Finally, some numerical results will be given in order to illustrate the system dynamics. AMS subject classification: 60K25 93E20     

Optimising a nonlinear utility function in multi-objective integer programming

In this paper we develop an algorithm to optimise a nonlinear utility function of multiple objectives over the integer efficient set. Our approach is based on identifying and updating bounds on the individual objectives as well as the optimal utility value. This is done using already known solutions, linear programming relaxations, utility function inversion, and integer programming. We develop a general optimisation algorithm for use with k objectives, and we illustrate our approach using a tri-objective integer programming problem.     

Multi‐asset portfolio optimization with transaction cost

The inclusion of transaction costs in the optimal portfolio selection and consumption rule problem is accomplished via the use of perturbation analyses. The portfolio under consideration consists of more than one risky asset, which makes numerical methods impractical. The objective is to establish both the transaction and the no‐transaction regions that characterize the optimal investment strategy. The optimal transaction boundaries for two and three risky assets portfolios are solved explicitly. A procedure for solving the N risky assets portfolio is described. The formulation used also reduces the restriction on the functional form of the utility preference.     

Optimal Investment in a Levy Market

In this paper we consider the optimal investment problem in a market where the stock price process is modeled by a geometric Levy process (taking into account jumps). Except for the geometric Brownian model and the geometric Poissonian model, the resulting models are incomplete and there are many equivalent martingale measures. However, the model can be completed by the so-called power-jump assets. By doing this we allow investment in these new assets and we can try to maximize the expected utility of these portfolios. As particular cases we obtain the optimal portfolios based in stocks and bonds, showing that the new assets are superfluous for certain martingale measures that depend on the utility function we use.     

Optimal proportional reinsurance and investment with transaction costs, I: Maximizing the terminal wealth

We consider a problem of optimal reinsurance and investment with multiple risky assets for an insurance company whose surplus is governed by a linear diffusion. The insurance company’s risk can be reduced through reinsurance, while in addition the company invests its surplus in a financial market with one risk-free asset and n risky assets. In this paper, we consider the transaction costs when investing in the risky assets. Also, we use Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) to control the whole risk. We consider the optimization problem of maximizing the expected exponential utility of terminal wealth and solve it by using the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. Explicit expression for the optimal value function and the corresponding optimal strategies are obtained.     

Multi-Period Asset Allocation Under Hidden Markovianly Driven Noises

Abstract

Techniques of filtering and parameter reestimation of a general hidden Markov model are developed and applied to a discrete time multi-period asset allocation problem, where a commonly used mean-variance utility is considered and recursive calculation of an explicit optimal portfolio is provided. Our result is a generalization of that by Robert J. Elliott and John van der Hoek.     

Optimal consumption-leisure, portfolio and retirement selection based on α-maxmin expected CES utility with ambiguity

This article studies optimal consumption-leisure, portfolio and retirement selection of an infinitely lived investor whose preference is formulated by ??-maxmin expected CES utility which is to differentiate ambiguity and ambiguity attitude. Adopting the recursive multiplepriors utility and the technique of backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs), we transform the ??-maxmin expected CES utility into a classical expected CES utility under a new probability measure related to the degree of an investor??s uncertainty. Our model investigates the optimal consumption-leisure-work selection, the optimal portfolio selection, and the optimal stopping problem. In this model, the investor is able to adjust her supply of labor flexibly above a certain minimum work-hour along with a retirement option. The problem can be analytically solved by using a variational inequality. And the optimal retirement time is given as the first time when her wealth exceeds a certain critical level. The optimal consumption-leisure and portfolio strategies before and after retirement are provided in closed forms. Finally, the distinctions of optimal consumption-leisure, portfolio and critical wealth level under ambiguity from those with no vagueness are discussed.