12,505 research outputs found
Optimal stopping under probability distortion
We formulate an optimal stopping problem for a geometric Brownian motion
where the probability scale is distorted by a general nonlinear function. The
problem is inherently time inconsistent due to the Choquet integration
involved. We develop a new approach, based on a reformulation of the problem
where one optimally chooses the probability distribution or quantile function
of the stopped state. An optimal stopping time can then be recovered from the
obtained distribution/quantile function, either in a straightforward way for
several important cases or in general via the Skorokhod embedding. This
approach enables us to solve the problem in a fairly general manner with
different shapes of the payoff and probability distortion functions. We also
discuss economical interpretations of the results. In particular, we justify
several liquidation strategies widely adopted in stock trading, including those
of "buy and hold", "cut loss or take profit", "cut loss and let profit run" and
"sell on a percentage of historical high".Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/11-AAP838 the Annals of
Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of
Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Vertex-Coloring 2-Edge-Weighting of Graphs
A -{\it edge-weighting} of a graph is an assignment of an integer
weight, , to each edge . An edge weighting naturally
induces a vertex coloring by defining for every
. A -edge-weighting of a graph is \emph{vertex-coloring} if
the induced coloring is proper, i.e., for any edge .
Given a graph and a vertex coloring , does there exist an
edge-weighting such that the induced vertex coloring is ? We investigate
this problem by considering edge-weightings defined on an abelian group.
It was proved that every 3-colorable graph admits a vertex-coloring
-edge-weighting \cite{KLT}. Does every 2-colorable graph (i.e., bipartite
graphs) admit a vertex-coloring 2-edge-weighting? We obtain several simple
sufficient conditions for graphs to be vertex-coloring 2-edge-weighting. In
particular, we show that 3-connected bipartite graphs admit vertex-coloring
2-edge-weighting
Continuous-Time Markowitz's Model with Transaction Costs
A continuous-time Markowitz's mean-variance portfolio selection problem is
studied in a market with one stock, one bond, and proportional transaction
costs. This is a singular stochastic control problem,inherently in a finite
time horizon. With a series of transformations, the problem is turned into a
so-called double obstacle problem, a well studied problem in physics and
partial differential equation literature, featuring two time-varying free
boundaries. The two boundaries, which define the buy, sell, and no-trade
regions, are proved to be smooth in time. This in turn characterizes the
optimal strategy, via a Skorokhod problem, as one that tries to keep a certain
adjusted bond-stock position within the no-trade region. Several features of
the optimal strategy are revealed that are remarkably different from its
no-transaction-cost counterpart. It is shown that there exists a critical
length in time, which is dependent on the stock excess return as well as the
transaction fees but independent of the investment target and the stock
volatility, so that an expected terminal return may not be achievable if the
planning horizon is shorter than that critical length (while in the absence of
transaction costs any expected return can be reached in an arbitrary period of
time). It is further demonstrated that anyone following the optimal strategy
should not buy the stock beyond the point when the time to maturity is shorter
than the aforementioned critical length. Moreover, the investor would be less
likely to buy the stock and more likely to sell the stock when the maturity
date is getting closer. These features, while consistent with the widely
accepted investment wisdom, suggest that the planning horizon is an integral
part of the investment opportunities.Comment: 30 pages, 1 figur
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