scholarly journals On Asymptotics of Optimal Stopping Times

Mathematics ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 194
Author(s):  
Hugh N. Entwistle ◽  
Christopher J. Lustri ◽  
Georgy Yu. Sofronov

We consider optimal stopping problems, in which a sequence of independent random variables is drawn from a known continuous density. The objective of such problems is to find a procedure which maximizes the expected reward. In this analysis, we obtained asymptotic expressions for the expectation and variance of the optimal stopping time as the number of drawn variables became large. In the case of distributions with infinite upper bound, the asymptotic behaviour of these statistics depends solely on the algebraic power of the probability distribution decay rate in the upper limit. In the case of densities with finite upper bound, the asymptotic behaviour of these statistics depends on the algebraic form of the distribution near the finite upper bound. Explicit calculations are provided for several common probability density functions.

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.


1990 ◽  
Vol 27 (04) ◽  
pp. 828-838
Author(s):  
T. P. Hill ◽  
D. P. Kennedy

Optimal stopping of a sequence of random variables is studied, with emphasis on generalized objectives which may be non-monotone functions ofEXt, wheretis a stopping time, or may even depend on the entire vector (E[X1I{t=l}], · ··,E[XnI{t=n}]),such as the minimax objective to maximize minj{E[XjI{t=j}]}.Convexity is used to establish a prophet inequality and universal bounds for the optimal return, and a method for constructing optimal stopping times for such objectives is given.


1990 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 828-838
Author(s):  
T. P. Hill ◽  
D. P. Kennedy

Optimal stopping of a sequence of random variables is studied, with emphasis on generalized objectives which may be non-monotone functions of EXt, where t is a stopping time, or may even depend on the entire vector (E[X1I{t=l}], · ··, E[XnI{t=n}]), such as the minimax objective to maximize minj{E[XjI{t=j}]}. Convexity is used to establish a prophet inequality and universal bounds for the optimal return, and a method for constructing optimal stopping times for such objectives is given.


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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (03) ◽  
pp. 799-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel V. Gapeev ◽  
Neofytos Rodosthenous

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 the 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.


2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 799-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel V. Gapeev ◽  
Neofytos Rodosthenous

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 the 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.


1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 335-346
Author(s):  
B. Dochviri

Abstract The connection between the optimal stopping problems for inhomogeneous standard Markov process and the corresponding homogeneous Markov process constructed in the extended state space is established. An excessive characterization of the value-function and the limit procedure for its construction in the problem of optimal stopping of an inhomogeneous standard Markov process is given. The form of ε-optimal (optimal) stopping times is also found.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (01) ◽  
pp. 87-115
Author(s):  
Yi-Shen Lin ◽  
Yi-Ching Yao

AbstractIn the literature on optimal stopping, the problem of maximizing the expected discounted reward over all stopping times has been explicitly solved for some special reward functions (including (x+)ν, (ex − K)+, (K − e− x)+, x ∈ ℝ, ν ∈ (0, ∞), and K > 0) under general random walks in discrete time and Lévy processes in continuous time (subject to mild integrability conditions). All such reward functions are continuous, increasing, and logconcave while the corresponding optimal stopping times are of threshold type (i.e. the solutions are one-sided). In this paper we show that all optimal stopping problems with increasing, logconcave, and right-continuous reward functions admit one-sided solutions for general random walks and Lévy processes, thereby generalizing the aforementioned results. We also investigate in detail the principle of smooth fit for Lévy processes when the reward function is increasing and logconcave.


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.


2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 972-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesper Lund Pedersen

The maximality principle [6] is shown to be valid in some examples of discounted optimal stopping problems for the maximum process. In each of these examples explicit formulas for the value functions are derived and the optimal stopping times are displayed. In particular, in the framework of the Black-Scholes model, the fair prices of two lookback options with infinite horizon are calculated. The main aim of the paper is to show that in each considered example the optimal stopping boundary satisfies the maximality principle and that the value function can be determined explicitly.


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