Volatility of volatility of financial markets

We present empirical evidence for considering volatility of Eurodollar futures as a stochastic process, requiring a generalization of the standard Black-Scholes (BS) model which treats volatility as a constant. We use a previous development of a statistical mechanics of financial markets (SMFM) to model these issues.     

On Fuzzy Portfolio Selection Problems

The uncertainty of a financial market is traditionally dealt with probabilistic approaches. However, there are many non-probabilistic factors that affect the financial markets. A number of empirical studies showed limitation of using probabilistic approaches in characterizing the uncertainty of the financial markets. Fuzzy set is a powerful tool used to describe an uncertain environment with vagueness, ambiguity or some other type of fuzziness, which are always involved in not only the financial markets but also the behavior of the financial managers' decisions. In a financial optimization model using fuzzy approaches, quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, the experts' knowledge and the managers' subjective opinions can be better integrated. In this paper, we give an overview on the development of fuzzy portfolio selection to date. Some related problems that might deserve further investigations are also discussed.     

The new robust conic GPLM method with an application to finance: prediction of credit default

This paper contributes to classification and identification in modern finance through advanced optimization. In the last few decades, financial misalignments and, thereby, financial crises have been increasing in numbers due to the rearrangement of the financial world. In this study, as one of the most remarkable of these, countries’ debt crises, which result from illiquidity, are tried to predict with some macroeconomic variables. The methodology consists of a combination of two predictive regression models, logistic regression and robust conic multivariate adaptive regression splines (RCMARS), as linear and nonlinear parts of a generalized partial linear model. RCMARS has an advantage of coping with the noise in both input and output data and of obtaining more consistent optimization results than CMARS. An advanced version of conic generalized partial linear model which includes robustification of the data set is introduced: robust conic generalized partial linear model (RCGPLM). This new model is applied on a data set that belongs to 45 emerging markets with 1,019 observations between the years 1980 and 2005.     

Introduction to convex optimization in financial markets

Convexity arises naturally in financial risk management. In risk preferences concerning random cash-flows, convexity corresponds to the fundamental diversification principle. Convexity is a basic property also of budget constraints both in classical linear models as well as in more realistic models with transaction costs and constraints. Moreover, modern securities markets are based on trading protocols that result in convex trading costs. The first part of this paper gives an introduction to certain basic concepts and principles of financial risk management in simple optimization terms. The second part reviews some convex optimization techniques used in mathematical and numerical analysis of financial optimization problems.     

Dynamic asset allocation for varied financial markets under regime switching framework

Asset allocation among diverse financial markets is essential for investors especially under situations such as the financial crisis of 2008. Portfolio optimization is the most developed method to examine the optimal decision for asset allocation. We employ the hidden Markov model to identify regimes in varied financial markets; a regime switching model gives multiple distributions and this information can convert the static mean–variance model into an optimization problem under uncertainty, which is the case for unobservable market regimes. We construct a stochastic program to optimize portfolios under the regime switching framework and use scenario generation to mathematically formulate the optimization problem. In addition, we build a simple example for a pension fund and examine the behavior of the optimal solution over time by using a rolling-horizon simulation. We conclude that the regime information helps portfolios avoid risk during left-tail events.     

Convex duality in optimal investment under illiquidity

We study the problem of optimal investment by embedding it in the general conjugate duality framework of convex analysis. This allows for various extensions to classical models of liquid markets. In particular, we obtain a dual representation for the optimum value function in the presence of portfolio constraints and nonlinear trading costs that are encountered e.g. in modern limit order markets. The optimization problem is parameterized by a sequence of financial claims. Such a parameterization is essential in markets without a numeraire asset when pricing swap contracts and other financial products with multiple payout dates. In the special case of perfectly liquid markets or markets with proportional transaction costs, we recover well-known dual expressions in terms of martingale measures.     

Asymptotic Multivariate Dominance: A Financial Application

We propose a multivariate stochastic dominance relation aimed at ranking different financial markets/sectors from the point of view of a non-satiable risk averse investor. In particular, we assume that the vector of returns of a given market is in the domain of attraction of a symmetric stable Paretian law in order to take into account the asymptotic behaviour of the financial returns. We determine the stochastic dominance rule for stable symmetric distributions, where the stability parameter plays a crucial role. Consequently, the multivariate rule for ordering markets is based on a comparison between i) location parameters, ii) dispersion parameters, and iii) stability indices. Finally, we apply the method to the equity markets of the four countries with the highest gross domestic product in 2013, namely, the US, China, Japan and Germany. In this empirical comparison we examine the ex ante and ex post dominance between stock markets, either assuming that the returns are jointly (or conditionally, for a robust approach) Gaussian distributed, or in the domain of attraction of a stable sub-Gaussian law.     

Development and calibration of a currency trading strategy using global optimization

We have developed a new financial indicator—called the Interest Rate Differentials Adjusted for Volatility (IRDAV) measure—to assist investors in currency markets. On a monthly basis, we rank currency pairs according to this measure and then select a basket of pairs with the highest IRDAV values. Under positive market conditions, an IRDAV based investment strategy (buying a currency with high interest rate and simultaneously selling a currency with low interest rate, after adjusting for volatility of the currency pairs in question) can generate significant returns. However, when the markets turn for the worse and crisis situations evolve, investors exit such money-making strategies suddenly, and—as a result—significant losses can occur. In an effort to minimize these potential losses, we also propose an aggregated Risk Metric that estimates the total risk by looking at various financial indicators across different markets. These risk indicators are used to get timely signals of evolving crises and to flip the strategy from long to short in a timely fashion, to prevent losses and make further gains even during crisis periods. Since our proprietary model is implemented in Excel as a highly nonlinear “black box” computational procedure, we use suitable global optimization methodology and software—the Lipschitz Global Optimizer solver suite linked to Excel—to maximize the performance of the currency basket, based on our selection of key decision variables. After the introduction of the new currency trading model and its implementation, we present numerical results based on actual market data. Our results clearly show the advantages of using global optimization based parameter settings, compared to the typically used “expert estimates” of the key model parameters.     

Fitting the control parameters of a genetic algorithm: An application to technical trading systems design

This paper studies the problem of how changes in the design of the genetic algorithm (GA) have an effect on the results obtained in real-life applications. In this study, focused on the application of a GA to the tuning of technical trading rules in the context of financial markets, our tentative thesis is that the GA is robust with respect to design changes. The optimization of technical trading systems is a suitable area for the application of the GA metaheuristic, as the complexity of the problem grows exponentially as new technical rules are added to the system and as the answer time is crucial when applying the system to real-time data. Up to now, most of GAs applications to this subject obviated the question of possible “design dependence” in their results. The data we report, based on our experiments, do not allow us to refute the hypothesis of robustness of the GA to design implementation, when applying to technical trading systems tuning.     

Application of differential evolution algorithm for optimization of strategies based on financial time series

An approach for optimization of trading strategies (algorithms) based on indicators of financial markets and evolutionary computation is described. A new version of differential evolution algorithm for the search for optimal parameters of trading strategies for maximization of trading profit is used. The experimental results show that this approach can improve several times the profitability of the trading strategies.     

Contingent claim pricing using probability distortion operators: methods from insurance risk pricing and their relationship to financial theory

This paper considers the pricing of contingent claims using an approach developed and used in insurance pricing. The approach is of interest and significance because of the increased integration of insurance and financial markets and also because insurance-related risks are trading in financial markets as a result of securitization and new contracts on futures exchanges. This approach uses probability distortion functions as the dual of the utility functions used in financial theory. The pricing formula is the same as the Black-Scholes formula for contingent claims when the underlying asset price is log-normal. The paper compares the probability distortion function approach with that based on financial theory. The theory underlying the approaches is set out and limitations on the use of the insurance-based approach are illustrated. The probability distortion approach is extended to the pricing of contingent claims for more general assumptions than those used for Black-Scholes option pricing.     

Securitization, structuring and pricing of longevity risk

Pricing and risk management for longevity risk have increasingly become major challenges for life insurers and pension funds around the world. Risk transfer to financial markets, with their major capacity for efficient risk pooling, is an area of significant development for a successful longevity product market. The structuring and pricing of longevity risk using modern securitization methods, common in financial markets, have yet to be successfully implemented for longevity risk management. There are many issues that remain unresolved for ensuring the successful development of a longevity risk market. This paper considers the securitization of longevity risk focusing on the structuring and pricing of a longevity bond using techniques developed for the financial markets, particularly for mortgages and credit risk. A model based on Australian mortality data and calibrated to insurance risk linked market data is used to assess the structure and market consistent pricing of a longevity bond. Age dependence in the securitized risks is shown to be a critical factor in structuring and pricing longevity linked securitizations.     

沪深股市相关结构分析研究

在金融市场风险分析中,对金融资产相关结构的讨论有着重要意义,从而引出对如何选取好的相关结构模型来捕捉金融资产间的相关变化规律的讨论。针对这一问题,我们用混合相关结构函数Copula对上海、深圳股票市场进行了相关分析研究,用极值分布刻画了每支股票的边缘分布,用两步估计法对Copula中的参数进行了估计。分析结果表明:混合Copula相关结构能够捕捉金融市场间相关性变化规律,比单个Copula相关结构更灵活,更能全面地反映市场间非对称变化的相关程度和模式,此方法还可以推广到对多种金融资产收益率进行相关性分析。     

Bayesian dynamic financial networks with time-varying predictors

We propose a targeted and robust modeling of dependence in multivariate time series via dynamic networks, with time-varying predictors included to improve interpretation and prediction. The model is applied to financial markets, estimating effects of verbal and material cooperations.     

Financial transmission rights in convex pool markets

This paper studies financial transmission rights in electricity pool markets with nodal pricing. We prove that simultaneous feasibility entails revenue adequacy in a general framework of convex optimization, and show by counterexample as to how this result might fail in the absence of convexity.     

Structuration optimale de produits financiers et diversification en présence de sources de risque non-négociables

We develop a methodology to optimally design a financial issue to hedge non-tradable risk on financial markets. Modeling involves a minimization of the risk borne by issuer given a buyer constraint, who enters the transaction if and only if his risk level remains below a given threshold. Both agents have also the opportunity to invest all their residual wealth on financial markets. The problem is reduced to a unique convex optimization problem and its solution in the entropic framework is proportional to the issuer initial exposure. To cite this article: P. Barrieu, N. El Karoui, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 336 (2003).     

多元Copula-GARCH模型及其在金融风险分析上的应用

针对传统风险分析模型的不足,结合Copula技术和GARCH模型,提出了多元Copula-GARCH模型。指出该模型不仅可以捕捉金融市场间的非线性相关性,还可以得到更灵活的多元分布进而用于资产投资组合VaR分析。在详细探讨了基于Copula技术的资产投资组合的MonteCarlo仿真技术的基础上,运用具有不同边缘分布的多元Copula-GARCH模型,对上海股市进行了研究,结果证实了所提模型和方法的可行性和有效性。     

Credit scoring for profitability objectives

In consumer credit markets lending decisions are usually represented as a set of classification problems. The objective is to predict the likelihood of customers ending up in one of a finite number of states, such as good/bad payer, responder/non-responder and transactor/non-transactor. Decision rules are then applied on the basis of the resulting model estimates. However, this represents a misspecification of the true objectives of commercial lenders, which are better described in terms of continuous financial measures such as bad debt, revenue and profit contribution. In this paper, an empirical study is undertaken to compare predictive models of continuous financial behaviour with binary models of customer default. The results show models of continuous financial behaviour to outperform classification approaches. They also demonstrate that scoring functions developed to specifically optimize profit contribution, using genetic algorithms, outperform scoring functions derived from optimizing more general functions such as sum of squared error.