Hedging, arbitrage and optimality with superlinear frictions

In a continuous-time model with multiple assets described by c\`{a}dl\`{a}g processes, this paper characterizes superhedging prices, absence of arbitrage, and utility maximizing strategies, under general frictions that make execution prices arbitrarily unfavorable for high trading intensity. Such frictions induce a duality between feasible trading strategies and shadow execution prices with a martingale measure. Utility maximizing strategies exist even if arbitrage is present, because it is not scalable at will.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/14-AAP1043 in the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Sticky processes, local and true martingales

We prove that for a so-called sticky process $S$ there exists an equivalent probability $Q$ and a $Q$-martingale $\tilde{S}$ that is arbitrarily close to $S$ in $L^p(Q)$ norm. For continuous $S$, $\tilde{S}$ can be chosen arbitrarily close to $S$ in supremum norm. In the case where $S$ is a local martingale we may choose $Q$ arbitrarily close to the original probability in the total variation norm. We provide examples to illustrate the power of our results and present applications in mathematical finance

Optimal investment under behavioural criteria -- a dual approach

We consider a discrete-time, generically incomplete market model and a behavioural investor with power-like utility and distortion functions. The existence of optimal strategies in this setting has been shown in a previous paper under certain conditions on the parameters of these power functions. In the present paper we prove the existence of optimal strategies under a different set of conditions on the parameters, identical to the ones which were shown to be necessary and sufficient in the Black-Scholes model. Although there exists no natural dual problem for optimisation under behavioural criteria (due to the lack of concavity), we will rely on techniques based on the usual duality between attainable contingent claims and equivalent martingale measures.Comment: Forthcoming in Banach Center Publications. Some errors have been corrected, in particular in Assumption 2.3

Hiding a drift

In this article we consider a Brownian motion with drift of the form dS_t=\mu_t dt+dB_t\qquadfor t\ge0, with a specific nontrivial $(\mu_t)_{t\geq0}$, predictable with respect to $\mathbb{F}^B$, the natural filtration of the Brownian motion $B=(B_t)_{t\ge0}$. We construct a process $H=(H_t)_{t\ge0}$, also predictable with respect to $\mathbb{F}^B$, such that $((H\cdot S)_t)_{t\ge 0}$ is a Brownian motion in its own filtration. Furthermore, for any $\delta>0$, we refine this construction such that the drift $(\mu_t)_{t\ge0}$ only takes values in $]\mu-\delta,\mu+\delta[$, for fixed $\mu>0$.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/09-AOP469 the Annals of Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aop/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Asymptotic Exponential Arbitrage and Utility-based Asymptotic Arbitrage in Markovian Models of Financial Markets

Consider a discrete-time infinite horizon financial market model in which the logarithm of the stock price is a time discretization of a stochastic differential equation. Under conditions different from those given in a previous paper of ours, we prove the existence of investment opportunities producing an exponentially growing profit with probability tending to $1$ geometrically fast. This is achieved using ergodic results on Markov chains and tools of large deviations theory. Furthermore, we discuss asymptotic arbitrage in the expected utility sense and its relationship to the first part of the paper.Comment: Forthcoming in Acta Applicandae Mathematica