Uniqueness of Viscosity Solutions for Optimal Multi-Modes Switching Problem with Risk of default

Abstract

In this paper we study the optimal m-states switching problem in finite horizon as well as infinite horizon with risk of default. We allow the switching cost functionals and cost of default to be of polynomial growth and arbitrary. We show uniqueness of a solution for a system of m variational partial differential inequalities with inter-connected obstacles. This system is the deterministic version of the Verification Theorem of the Markovian optimal m-states switching problem with risk of default. This problem is connected with the valuation of a power plant in the energy market.Comment: 25 pages; Real options, Backward stochastic differential equations, Snell envelope, Stopping times, Switching, Viscosity solution of PDEs, Variational inequalities. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0805.1306 and arXiv:0904.070