Convex Duality in Constrained Mean-variance Portfolio Optimization Under a Regime-switching Model

Convex Duality in Constrained Mean-variance Portfolio Optimization Under a Regime-switching Model
Author: Catherine Donnelly
Publisher:
Total Pages: 203
Release: 2008
Genre:
ISBN:

In this thesis, we solve a mean-variance portfolio optimization problem with portfolio constraints under a regime-switching model. Specifically, we seek a portfolio process which minimizes the variance of the terminal wealth, subject to a terminal wealth constraint and convex portfolio constraints. The regime-switching is modeled using a finite state space, continuous-time Markov chain and the market parameters are allowed to be random processes. The solution to this problem is of interest to investors in financial markets, such as pension funds, insurance companies and individuals. We establish the existence and characterization of the solution to the given problem using a convex duality method. We encode the constraints on the given problem as static penalty functions in order to derive the primal problem. Next, we synthesize the dual problem from the primal problem using convex conjugate functions. We show that the solution to the dual problem exists. From the construction of the dual problem, we find a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for the primal and dual problems to each have a solution. Using these conditions, we can show the existence of the solution to the given problem and characterize it in terms of the market parameters and the solution to the dual problem. The results of the thesis lay the foundation to find an actual solution to the given problem, by looking at specific examples. If we can find the solution to the dual problem for a specific example, then, using the characterization of the solution to the given problem, we may be able to find the actual solution to the specific example. In order to use the convex duality method, we have to prove a martingale representation theorem for processes which are locally square-integrable martingales with respect to the filtration generated by a Brownian motion and a finite state space, continuous-time Markov chain. This result may be of interest in problems involving regime-switching models which require a martingale representation theorem.

Quadratic Loss Minimization in a Regime Switching Model with Control and State Constraints

Quadratic Loss Minimization in a Regime Switching Model with Control and State Constraints
Author: Pradeep Ramchandani
Publisher:
Total Pages: 172
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN:

In this thesis, we address a convex stochastic optimal control problem in mathematical finance, with the goal of minimizing a general quadratic loss function of the wealth at close of trade. We study this problem in the setting of an Ito process market model, in which the underlying filtration to which the market parameters are adapted is the joint filtration of the driving Brownian motion for the market model, together with the filtration of an independent finite-state Markov chain which models occasional changes in "regime states'', that is our model allows for "regime switching'' among a finite number of regime states. Other aspects of the problem that we address in this thesis are: (1) The portfolio vector of holdings in the risky assets is confined to a given closed and convex constraint set; (2) There is a "state constraint'' in the form of a stipulated almost-sure lower bound on the wealth at close of trade. The combination of constraints represented by (1) and (2) makes the optimization problem quite challenging. The powerful and effective method of {\em auxiliary markets}, of Cvitanic and Karatzas [Ann. Appl. Prob., v.2, 767-818, 1992] for dealing with convex portfolio constraints, does not appear to extend to problems with regime-switching, while the more recent approach of Donnelly and Heunis [SIAM Jour. Control Optimiz., v.50, 2431-2461, 2012], which deals with both regime-switching and the convex portfolio constraints (1), is nevertheless confounded when one adds state constraints of the form (2) to the problem. The reason for this is clear: state constraints of the form (2) typically involve "singular'' Lagrange multipliers which fall well outside the scope of the "well-behaved'' Lagrange multipliers, manifested either as random variables or stochastic processes, which suffice when one is dealing only with portfolio constraints such as (1) above. In these circumstances we resort to an "abstract'' duality approach of Rockafellar and Moreau, which has been applied with considerable success to finite-dimensional problems of stochastic mathematical programming in which singular Lagrange multipliers also naturally arise. The main goal of this thesis is to adapt and extend the Rockafellar-Moreau approach to the stochastic optimal control problem summarized above. We find that this is indeed possible, although some considerable effort is required in view of the infinite dimensionality of the problem. We construct an appropriate space of Lagrange multipliers, synthesize a dual optimization problem, establish optimality relations which give necessary and sufficient conditions for the given optimization problem and its dual to each have a solution with zero duality gap, and use the optimality relations to synthesize an optimal portfolio in terms of the Lagrange multipliers.

Convex Stochastic Control and Conjugate Duality in a Problem of Unconstrained Utility Maximization Under a Regime Switching Model

Convex Stochastic Control and Conjugate Duality in a Problem of Unconstrained Utility Maximization Under a Regime Switching Model
Author: Aaron Xin Situ
Publisher:
Total Pages: 70
Release: 2015
Genre:
ISBN:

In this thesis, we examine a problem of convex stochastic optimal control applied to mathematical finance. The goal is to maximize the expected utility from wealth at close of trade (or terminal wealth) under a regime switching model. The presence of regime switching constitutes a definite challenge, and in order to keep the analysis tractable we therefore adopt a market model which is in other respects quite simple, and in particular does not involve margin payments, inter-temporal consumption or portfolio constraints. The asset prices will be modeled by classical Ito processes, and the market parameters will be dependent on the underlying Brownian Motion as well as a finite-state Markov Chain which represents the "regime switching" aspect of the market model. We use conjugate duality to construct a dual optimization problem and establish optimality relations between (putative) solutions of the dual and primal problems. We then apply these optimality relations to two specific types of utility functions, namely the power utility and logarithmic utility functions, and for these utility functions we obtain the optimal portfolios in completely explicit and implementable form.

Conjugate Duality and Optimization

Conjugate Duality and Optimization
Author: R. Tyrrell Rockafellar
Publisher: SIAM
Total Pages: 82
Release: 1974-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0898710138

The theory of duality in problems of optimization is developed in a setting of finite and infinite dimensional spaces using convex analysis. Applications to convex and nonconvex problems. Expository account containing many new results. (Author).

Stochastic Modeling and Optimization

Stochastic Modeling and Optimization
Author: David D. Yao
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 472
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0387217576

This books covers the broad range of research in stochastic models and optimization. Applications presented include networks, financial engineering, production planning, and supply chain management. Each contribution is aimed at graduate students working in operations research, probability, and statistics.

Conjugate Duality in Convex Optimization

Conjugate Duality in Convex Optimization
Author: Radu Ioan-Bot
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2011-03-03
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9783642049156

The results presented in this book originate from the last decade research work of the author in the ?eld of duality theory in convex optimization. The reputation of duality in the optimization theory comes mainly from the major role that it plays in formulating necessary and suf?cient optimality conditions and, consequently, in generatingdifferent algorithmic approachesfor solving mathematical programming problems. The investigations made in this work prove the importance of the duality theory beyond these aspects and emphasize its strong connections with different topics in convex analysis, nonlinear analysis, functional analysis and in the theory of monotone operators. The ?rst part of the book brings to the attention of the reader the perturbation approach as a fundamental tool for developing the so-called conjugate duality t- ory. The classical Lagrange and Fenchel duality approaches are particular instances of this general concept. More than that, the generalized interior point regularity conditions stated in the past for the two mentioned situations turn out to be p- ticularizations of the ones given in this general setting. In our investigations, the perturbationapproachrepresentsthestartingpointforderivingnewdualityconcepts for several classes of convex optimization problems. Moreover, via this approach, generalized Moreau–Rockafellar formulae are provided and, in connection with them, a new class of regularity conditions, called closedness-type conditions, for both stable strong duality and strong duality is introduced. By stable strong duality we understand the situation in which strong duality still holds whenever perturbing the objective function of the primal problem with a linear continuous functional.

General Quadratic Risk Minimization

General Quadratic Risk Minimization
Author: Dian Zhu
Publisher:
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2016
Genre:
ISBN:

Mean-variance portfolio selection and mean-variance hedging are mainstream research topics in mathematical nance, which can be subsumed within the framework of a general problem of quadratic risk minimization. We study this quadratic risk minimization problem in the setting of an It^o process market model with random market parameters. Our particular contribution is to introduce a combination of constraints on both the trading strategy (i.e. portfolio) and the wealth process, which includes in particular portfolio insurance in the form of a stipulated lower-bound on the wealth process over the entire trading interval (this is also called an American wealth constraint). The result is a stochastic control problem which includes the combination of a portfolio constraint (i.e. a \control constraint") and a wealth constraint over the trading interval (i.e. a \state constraint"). The goal of the present thesis is to address this stochastic control problem. Even in the setting of deterministic (or non-random) optimal control it is well known that a combination of control constraints and state constraints over the control interval presents some particular challenges, and of course these challenges increase considerably for stochastic control problems with the same combination of constraints. In this thesis we shall take advantage of the convexity of the problem and apply a powerful variational method of Rockafellar which has proved to be very e ective in the deterministic optimal control of partial di erential equations, convex optimization in continuum mechanics, and stochastic convex programming over nite dimensional spaces. The variational approach of Rockafellar enables one to systematically construct an appropriate vector space of dual variables, together with a dual problem on this space of dual variables, and gives conditions which ensure that there is zero duality gap (i.e. the values of the primal and dual problems are equal) as well as existence of a solution of the dual problem (i.e. existence of Lagrange multipliers for the constraints in the problem). The key to applying the Rockafellar variational approach to the stochastic control problem outlined above turns out to be a mild feasibility condition on the wealth process which is very reminiscent of \Slater-type" conditions familiar from convex optimization. With this condition in place we are able to construct an associated dual problem, and establish existence of a solution of the dual problem, together with Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions which relate putative solutions of the primal and dual problems. We then use these optimality conditions to construct an optimal portfolio in terms of the solution of the dual problem.

Duality for Nonconvex Approximation and Optimization

Duality for Nonconvex Approximation and Optimization
Author: Ivan Singer
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010-11-23
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9781441921031

The theory of convex optimization has been constantly developing over the past 30 years. Most recently, many researchers have been studying more complicated classes of problems that still can be studied by means of convex analysis, so-called "anticonvex" and "convex-anticonvex" optimizaton problems. This manuscript contains an exhaustive presentation of the duality for these classes of problems and some of its generalization in the framework of abstract convexity. This manuscript will be of great interest for experts in this and related fields.