scholarly journals On the Stochastic Optimal Control Model of the Investments of Defined Contribution (DC) Pension Funds

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-269
Author(s):  
T. Latunde ◽  
O.O. Esan ◽  
J.O. Richard ◽  
D.D. Dare

One of the major problems faced in the management of pension funds and plan is how to allocate and control the future flow of contribution likewise the proportion of portfolio value and investments in risky assets. In this work, optimal investment for a stochastic model of a Defined contribution (DC) is investigated such that the model design is analysed yielding an optimized expected utility of the members’ terminal wealth. An optimized solution is derived using the Hamilton Jacobi equation in solving the problem of investment strategy formulated by Constant absolute risk aversion (CARA). However, to consider the changes that occur in the dimension of optimal solutions in optimization problems, mostly, the optimal behaviour of parameters, the sensitivity analysis is considered. Thus, the analysis of the model is carried out herein by utilising the approach of the sensitivity analysis of parameters. This is carried out by using Maple software and varying the values of some model parameters such that the behaviour of each parameter relating to the pension funds invested in the risky assets is determined. The results are presented graphically and using tables thus discussed such that pension investors and stakeholders are advised. Keywords: Stochastic; DC Pension funds; Sensitivity analysis; Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation; Optimal investment

Author(s):  
Xiaoyi Zhang ◽  
Junyi Guo

In this paper we investigate the optimal investment strategy for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan during the decumulation phrase which is risk-averse and pays close attention to inflation risk. The plan aims to maximize the expected constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility from the terminal wealth by investing the wealth in a financial market consisting of an inflation-indexed bond, an ordinary zero coupon bond and a risk-free asset. We derive the optimal investment strategy in closed-form using the dynamic programming approach by solving the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. Our theoretical and numerical results reveal that under some rational assumptions, an inflation-indexed bond do has significant advantage to hedge inflation risk.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-57
Author(s):  
Chunxiang A ◽  
Yi Shao

AbstractThis paper considers a worst-case investment optimization problem with delay for a fund manager who is in a crash-threatened financial market. Driven by existing of capital inflow/outflow related to history performance, we investigate the optimal investment strategies under the worst-case scenario and the stochastic control framework with delay. The financial market is assumed to be either in a normal state (crash-free) or in a crash state. In the normal state the prices of risky assets behave as geometric Brownian motion, and in the crash state the prices of risky assets suddenly drop by a certain relative amount, which induces to a dropping of the total wealth relative to that of crash-free state. We obtain the ordinary differential equations satisfied by the optimal investment strategies and the optimal value functions under the power and exponential utilities, respectively. Finally, a numerical simulation is provided to illustrate the sensitivity of the optimal strategies with respective to the model parameters.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (14) ◽  
pp. 1610
Author(s):  
Katia Colaneri ◽  
Alessandra Cretarola ◽  
Benedetta Salterini

In this paper, we study the optimal investment and reinsurance problem of an insurance company whose investment preferences are described via a forward dynamic exponential utility in a regime-switching market model. Financial and actuarial frameworks are dependent since stock prices and insurance claims vary according to a common factor given by a continuous time finite state Markov chain. We construct the value function and we prove that it is a forward dynamic utility. Then, we characterize the optimal investment strategy and the optimal proportional level of reinsurance. We also perform numerical experiments and provide sensitivity analyses with respect to some model parameters.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Peng Yang

Based on the mean-variance criterion, this paper investigates the continuous-time reinsurance and investment problem. The insurer’s surplus process is assumed to follow Cramér–Lundberg model. The insurer is allowed to purchase reinsurance for reducing claim risk. The reinsurance pattern that the insurer adopts is combining proportional and excess of loss reinsurance. In addition, the insurer can invest in financial market to increase his wealth. The financial market consists of one risk-free asset and n correlated risky assets. The objective is to minimize the variance of the terminal wealth under the given expected value of the terminal wealth. By applying the principle of dynamic programming, we establish a Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation. Furthermore, we derive the explicit solutions for the optimal reinsurance-investment strategy and the corresponding efficient frontier by solving the HJB equation. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate how the optimal reinsurance-investment strategy changes with model parameters.


2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (04) ◽  
pp. 535-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
YI WANG ◽  
ZHIPING CHEN ◽  
KECUN ZHANG

Aimed at better modeling stock returns and finding robustly optimal investment decisions, a new portfolio selection model is proposed in this paper. The model differs from existing ones in following ways: multiple market frictions are taken into account simultaneously; the adopted multivariate t-distribution can capture the well-recognized fat tails in the return data by adding only one more parameter relative to the normal; the downside loss risk is controlled by a chance constraint which, including VaR as a special case, is flexible in terms of adjusting the threshold return and the loss probability level; one important advantage about the combination of the latter two innovations is that the derived asset allocation model can be transformed into a second-order cone program or a linear program, which can be easily solved in polynomial time. Empirical results based on some S&P 500 component stocks not only demonstrate the practicality of our new model, but show how different model parameters could affect the optimal portfolio selection. This is very useful in guiding investors to choose a correct model and to find the investment strategy most suitable for their specific purpose.


Ekonomika ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-133
Author(s):  
Birutė Galinienė ◽  
Justina Stravinskytė

The main goal of this article is to illustrate the strategy, devised to improve the effectiveness of utilizing the financial assets, or in this case, the official international reserves, belonging to the Bank of Lithuania. In Lithuania, the value of financial assets as a percentage of total state assets has doubled in the span of 10 years. Moreover, a strong correlation between the real GDP growth and the Bank of Lithuania’s financial assets/profitability implies that the effectiveness of financial assets management has a nationally wide impact. Unfortunately, the Bank’s profit/invested value indicator has reached a record low in 2012–2013, which resulted in the whole bank’s profit being absorbed into the state’s budget (as opposed to 70 % of it). Such signs meant that the previous investment strategy has become ineffective and needed changes.To highlight the necessary changes, the authors conduct a practical research and construct the optimal investment portfolio, according to the goals and variables given by the guidelines, proposed by Bank of Lithuania. The size of the portfolio is 4,14 bn euros, and the maximum loss per year (VaR) allowed is -100 M euro/year, as stated by the Bank of Lithuania’s risk budget limit. The authors also focus on the issue of increased currency risk after investing in volatile share indices and whether hedging against it with Forex spot transactions is beneficial.The result of the research is an optimal portfolio, consisting of 9,85 percent of risk-free assets and 90,15 percent of risky assets. Hedging against currency risk in this case is an ultimately beneficial course of action, yielding an increase of annual returns by 0,3 percent, which translates to +12,3 mln euros. Finally, the portfolio is flexible and simple to reshape into a less risky variant, if the institution predicts the dangers of possible future economic downfalls.This research was further used in a broader paper whose goal was to analyse and assess the effectiveness of currently employed assets’ management strategies in Lithuania.


2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Rieder ◽  
Nicole Bäuerle

We study portfolio optimization problems in which the drift rate of the stock is Markov modulated and the driving factors cannot be observed by the investor. Using results from filter theory, we reduce this problem to one with complete observation. In the cases of logarithmic and power utility, we solve the problem explicitly with the help of stochastic control methods. It turns out that the value function is a classical solution of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. As a special case, we investigate the so-called Bayesian case, i.e. where the drift rate is unknown but does not change over time. In this case, we prove a number of interesting properties of the optimal portfolio strategy. In particular, using the likelihood-ratio ordering, we can compare the optimal investment in the case of observable drift rate to that in the case of unobservable drift rate. Thus, we also obtain the sign of the drift risk.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-206
Author(s):  
Junna Bi ◽  
Kailing Chen

This paper considers the optimal investment-reinsurance strategy in a risk model with two dependent classes of insurance business under two kinds of premium principles, where the two claim number processes are correlated through a common shock component. Under the criterion of maximizing the expected exponential utility with the expected value premium principle and the variance premium principle, we use the stochastic optimal control theory to derive the optimal strategy and the value function for the compound Poisson risk model as well as for the Brownian motion diffusion risk model. In particular, we find that the optimal investment strategy on the risky asset is independent to the reinsurance strategy and the reinsurance strategy for the compound Poisson risk model are very different from those for the diffusion model under both two kinds of premium principles, but the investment strategies are the same in this two risk models. Finally, numerical examples are presented to show the impact of model parameters in the optimal strategies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyun Sun ◽  
Zhongfei Li ◽  
Yongwu Li

We consider a portfolio selection problem for a defined contribution (DC) pension plan under the mean-variance criteria. We take into account the inflation risk and assume that the salary income process of the pension plan member is stochastic. Furthermore, the financial market consists of a risk-free asset, an inflation-linked bond, and a risky asset with Heston’s stochastic volatility (SV). Under the framework of game theory, we derive two extended Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations systems and give the corresponding verification theorems in both the periods of accumulation and distribution of the DC pension plan. The explicit expressions of the equilibrium investment strategies, corresponding equilibrium value functions, and the efficient frontiers are also obtained. Finally, some numerical simulations and sensitivity analysis are presented to verify our theoretical results.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document