Optimal stopping problems for Brownian motion

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bather

This paper is concerned with the general problem of choosing an optimal stopping time for a Brownian motion process, where the cost associated with any trajectory depends only on its final time and position.

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (02) ◽  
pp. 259-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bather

This paper is concerned with the general problem of choosing an optimal stopping time for a Brownian motion process, where the cost associated with any trajectory depends only on its final time and position.


1997 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Graversen ◽  
G. Peškir

The solution is presented to all optimal stopping problems of the form supτE(G(|Β τ |) – cτ), where is standard Brownian motion and the supremum is taken over all stopping times τ for B with finite expectation, while the map G : ℝ+ → ℝ satisfies for some being given and fixed. The optimal stopping time is shown to be the hitting time by the reflecting Brownian motion of the set of all (approximate) maximum points of the map . The method of proof relies upon Wald's identity for Brownian motion and simple real analysis arguments. A simple proof of the Dubins–Jacka–Schwarz–Shepp–Shiryaev (square root of two) maximal inequality for randomly stopped Brownian motion is given as an application.


2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (01) ◽  
pp. 102-113
Author(s):  
Albrecht Irle

We consider the optimal stopping problem for g(Z n ), where Z n , n = 1, 2, …, is a homogeneous Markov sequence. An algorithm, called forward improvement iteration, is presented by which an optimal stopping time can be computed. Using an iterative step, this algorithm computes a sequence B 0 ⊇ B 1 ⊇ B 2 ⊇ · · · of subsets of the state space such that the first entrance time into the intersection F of these sets is an optimal stopping time. Various applications are given.


2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (03) ◽  
pp. 826-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Guo ◽  
J. Liu

Consider a geometric Brownian motion X t (ω) with drift. Suppose that there is an independent source that sends signals at random times τ 1 < τ 2 < ⋯. Upon receiving each signal, a decision has to be made as to whether to stop or to continue. Stopping at time τ will bring a reward S τ , where S t = max(max0≤u≤t X u , s) for some constant s ≥ X 0. The objective is to choose an optimal stopping time to maximize the discounted expected reward E[e−r τ i S τ i | X 0 = x, S 0 = s], where r is a discount factor. This problem can be viewed as a randomized version of the Bermudan look-back option pricing problem. In this paper, we derive explicit solutions to this optimal stopping problem, assuming that signal arrival is a Poisson process with parameter λ. Optimal stopping rules are differentiated by the frequency of the signal process. Specifically, there exists a threshold λ* such that if λ>λ*, the optimal stopping problem is solved via the standard formulation of a ‘free boundary’ problem and the optimal stopping time τ * is governed by a threshold a * such that τ * = inf{τ n : X τ n ≤a * S τ n }. If λ≤λ* then it is optimal to stop immediately a signal is received, i.e. at τ * = τ 1. Mathematically, it is intriguing that a smooth fit is critical in the former case while irrelevant in the latter.


2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 981-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorival Leão ◽  
Alberto Ohashi ◽  
Francesco Russo

AbstractWe present a discrete-type approximation scheme to solve continuous-time optimal stopping problems based on fully non-Markovian continuous processes adapted to the Brownian motion filtration. The approximations satisfy suitable variational inequalities which allow us to construct $\varepsilon$ -optimal stopping times and optimal values in full generality. Explicit rates of convergence are presented for optimal values based on reward functionals of path-dependent stochastic differential equations driven by fractional Brownian motion. In particular, the methodology allows us to design concrete Monte Carlo schemes for non-Markovian optimal stopping time problems as demonstrated in the companion paper by Bezerra et al.


2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 826-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Guo ◽  
J. Liu

Consider a geometric Brownian motion Xt(ω) with drift. Suppose that there is an independent source that sends signals at random times τ1 < τ2 < ⋯. Upon receiving each signal, a decision has to be made as to whether to stop or to continue. Stopping at time τ will bring a reward Sτ, where St = max(max0≤u≤tXu, s) for some constant s ≥ X0. The objective is to choose an optimal stopping time to maximize the discounted expected reward E[e−rτiSτi | X0 = x, S0 = s], where r is a discount factor. This problem can be viewed as a randomized version of the Bermudan look-back option pricing problem. In this paper, we derive explicit solutions to this optimal stopping problem, assuming that signal arrival is a Poisson process with parameter λ. Optimal stopping rules are differentiated by the frequency of the signal process. Specifically, there exists a threshold λ* such that if λ>λ*, the optimal stopping problem is solved via the standard formulation of a ‘free boundary’ problem and the optimal stopping time τ* is governed by a threshold a* such that τ* = inf{τn: Xτn≤a*Sτn}. If λ≤λ* then it is optimal to stop immediately a signal is received, i.e. at τ* = τ1. Mathematically, it is intriguing that a smooth fit is critical in the former case while irrelevant in the latter.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-246
Author(s):  
Christian H. Hesse

Let (Bt;t≥0) be a Brownian motion process starting from B0=ν and define Xν(t)=∫0tBsds. For a≥0, set τa,ν:=inf{t:Xν(t)=a} (with inf φ=∞). We study the conditional moments of τa,ν given τa,ν<∞. Using martingale methods, stopping-time arguments, as well as the method of dominant balance, we obtain, in particular, an asymptotic expansion for the conditional mean E(τa,ν|τa,ν<∞) as ν→∞. Through a series of simulations, it is shown that a truncation of this expansion after the first few terms provides an accurate approximation to the unknown true conditional mean even for small ν.


2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albrecht Irle

We consider the optimal stopping problem for g(Zn), where Zn, n = 1, 2, …, is a homogeneous Markov sequence. An algorithm, called forward improvement iteration, is presented by which an optimal stopping time can be computed. Using an iterative step, this algorithm computes a sequence B0 ⊇ B1 ⊇ B2 ⊇ · · · of subsets of the state space such that the first entrance time into the intersection F of these sets is an optimal stopping time. Various applications are given.


1997 ◽  
Vol 34 (01) ◽  
pp. 66-73
Author(s):  
S. E. Graversen ◽  
G. Peškir

The solution is presented to all optimal stopping problems of the form supτ E(G(|Β τ |) – cτ), where is standard Brownian motion and the supremum is taken over all stopping times τ for B with finite expectation, while the map G : ℝ+ → ℝ satisfies for some being given and fixed. The optimal stopping time is shown to be the hitting time by the reflecting Brownian motion of the set of all (approximate) maximum points of the map . The method of proof relies upon Wald's identity for Brownian motion and simple real analysis arguments. A simple proof of the Dubins–Jacka–Schwarz–Shepp–Shiryaev (square root of two) maximal inequality for randomly stopped Brownian motion is given as an application.


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