Integral Options in Models with Jumps

We present an explicit solution to the formulated in [17] optimal stopping problem for a geometric compound Poisson process with exponential jumps. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial problem to an integro-differential free-boundary problem where the smooth fit may break down and then be replaced by the continuous fit. The result can be interpreted as pricing perpetual integral options in a model with jumps.Jump process, stochastic differential equation, optimal stopping problem, integral American option, compound Poisson process, Shiryaev´s process, Girsanov´s theorem, Ito´s formula, integrodifferential free-boundary problem, smooth and continuous fit, hypergeometric functions

On Maximal Inequalities for some Jump Processes

We present a solution to the considered in [5] and [22] optimal stopping problem for some jump processes. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial problem to an integro-differential free-boundary problem where the normal reflection and smooth fit may break down and the latter then be replaced by the continuous fit. The derived result is applied for determining the best constants in maximal inequalities for a compound Poisson process with linear drift and exponential jumps.Jump process, stochastic differential equation, maximum process, optimal stopping problem, compound Poisson process, Ito’s formula, integro-differential free-boundary problem, normal reflection, continuous and smooth fit, maximality principle, maximal inequalities

Discounted Optimal Stopping for Maxima of some Jump-Diffusion Processes

We present solutions to some discounted optimal stopping problems for the maximum process in a model driven by a Brownian motion and a compound Poisson process with exponential jumps. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial problems to integro-differential free-boundary problems where the normal reflection and smooth fit may break down and the latter then be replaced by the continuous fit. The results can be interpreted as pricing perpetual American lookback options with fixed and floating strikes in a jump-diffusion model.Discounted optimal stopping problem, Brownian motion, compound Poisson process, maximum process, integro-differential free-boundary problem, continuous and smooth fit, normal reflection, a change-of-variable formula with local time on surfaces, perpetual lookback American options

Perpetual Barrier Options in Jump-Diffusion Models

We present a closed form solution to the perpetual American double barrier call option problem in a model driven by a Brownian motion and a compound Poisson process with exponential jumps. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial irregular optimal stopping problem to an integro-differential free-boundary problem and solving the latter by using continuous and smooth fit. The obtained solution of the nontrivial free-boundary problem gives the possibility to observe some special analytic properties of the value function at the optimal stopping boundaries.American double barrier options, optimal stopping problem, jump-diffusion model, integro-differential free-boundary problem, continuous and smooth fit, Ito-Tanaka-Meyer formula

Optimal stopping problems in diffusion-type models with running maxima and drawdowns

We study optimal stopping problems related to the pricing of perpetual American options in an extension of the Black-Merton-Scholes model in which the dividend and volatility rates of the underlying risky asset depend on the running values of its maximum and maximum drawdown. The optimal stopping times of exercise are shown to be the first times at which the price of the underlying asset exits some regions restricted by certain boundaries depending on the running values of the associated maximum and maximum drawdown processes. We obtain closed-form solutions to the equivalent free-boundary problems for the value functions with smooth fit at the optimal stopping boundaries and normal reflection at the edges of the state space of the resulting three-dimensional Markov process. We derive first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the optimal exercise boundaries of the perpetual American standard options

Discounted Optimal Stopping for Maxima in Diffusion Models with Finite Horizon

We present a solution to some discounted optimal stopping problem for the maximum of a geometric Brownian motion on a finite time interval. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial optimal stopping problem with the continuation region determined by an increasing continuous boundary surface to a parabolic free-boundary problem. Using the change-of-variable formula with local time on surfaces we show that the optimal boundary can be characterized as a unique solution of a nonlinear integral equation. The result can be interpreted as pricing American fixed-strike lookback option in a diffusion model with finite time horizon.Discounted optimal stopping problem, finite horizon, geometric Brownian motion, maximum process, parabolic free-boundary problem, smooth fit, normal reflection, a nonlinear Volterra integral equation of the second kind, boundary surface, a change-of-variable formula with local time on surfaces, American lookback option problem

Discounted optimal stopping problems in continuous hidden Markov models

We study a two-dimensional discounted optimal stopping problem related to the pricing of perpetual commodity equities in a model of financial markets in which the behaviour of the underlying asset price follows a generalized geometric Brownian motion and the dynamics of the convenience yield are described by an unobservable continuous-time Markov chain with two states. It is shown that the optimal time of exercise is the first time at which the commodity spot price paid in return to the fixed coupon rate hits a lower stochastic boundary being a monotone function of the running value of the filtering estimate of the state of the chain. We rigorously prove that the optimal stopping boundary is regular for the stopping region relative to the resulting two-dimensional diffusion process and the value function is continuously differentiable with respect to the both variables. It is verified by means of a change-of-variable formula with local time on surfaces that the value function and the boundary are determined as a unique solution of the associated parabolic-type free-boundary problem. We also give a closed-form solution to the optimal stopping problem for the case of an observable Markov chain

An optimal stopping problem in a diffusion-type model with delay

We present an explicit solution to an optimal stopping problem in a model described by a stochastic delay differential equation with an exponential delay measure. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial problem to a free-boundary problem and solving the latter by means of the smooth-fit condition. The problem can be interpreted as pricing special perpetual average American put options in a diffusion-type model with delay.Optimal stopping, stochastic delay differential equation, diffusion process, sufficient statistic, free-boundary problem, smooth fit, Girsanov’s theorem, Ito’s formula