We consider the problem of optimal multiple switching in finite horizon, when the state of the system, including the switching costs, is a general adapted stochastic process. The problem is formulated as an extended impulse control problem and completely solved using probabilistic tools such as the Snell envelop of processes and reflected backward stochastic differential equations. Finally, when the state of the system is a Markov diffusion process, we show that the vector of value functions of the optimal problem is a viscosity solution to a system of variational inequalities with inter-connected obstacles.
This paper studies a discrete-time optimal switching problem on a finite horizon. The underlying model has a running reward, terminal reward and signed (positive and negative) switching costs. Using the martingale approach to optimal stopping problems, we extend a well known explicit dynamic programming method for computing the value function and the optimal strategy to the case of signed switching costs.
In this paper we study continuous-time two-player zero-sum optimal switching games on a finite horizon. Using the theory of doubly reflected BSDEs with interconnected barriers, we show that this game has a value and an equilibrium in the players' switching controls.
This paper is concerned with optimal switching over multiple modes in continuous time and on a finite horizon. The performance index includes a running reward, terminal reward and switching costs that can belong to a large class of stochastic processes. Particularly, the switching costs are modelled by right-continuous with left-limits processes that are quasi-left-continuous and can take both positive and negative values. We provide sufficient conditions leading to a well known probabilistic representation of the value function for the switching problem in terms of interconnected Snell envelo…
This paper uses recent results on continuous-time finite-horizon optimal switching problems with negative switching costs to prove the existence of a saddle point in an optimal stopping (Dynkin) game. Sufficient conditions for the game's value to be continuous with respect to the time horizon are obtained using recent results on norm estimates for doubly reflected backward stochastic differential equations. This theory is then demonstrated numerically for the special cases of cancellable call and put options in a Black-Scholes market.
This paper studies a system of multi-dimensional reflected backward stochastic differential equations with oblique reflections (RBSDEs for short) in infinite horizon associated to switching problems. The existence and uniqueness of the adapted solution is obtained by using a method based oa combination of penalization, verification method and contraction property.
This paper studies a system of $m$ variational inequalities with interconnected obstacles in infinite horizon associated to optimal multi-modes switching problems. Our main result is the existence and uniqueness of a continuous solution in viscosity sense, for that system. The proof of the main result strongly relies on the connection between the systems of variational inequalities and reflected backward stochastic differential equations (RBSDEs) with oblique reflection, which will be characterized through a Feynman-Kac's formula. The main feature of our system of infinite horizon RBSDEs is th…
We study an optimal switching problem with a state constraint: the controller is only allowed to choose strategies that keep the controlled diffusion in a closed domain. We prove that the value function associated with this problem is the limit of value functions associated with unconstrained switching problems with penalized coefficients, as the penalization parameter goes to infinity. This convergence allows to set a dynamic programming principle for the constrained switching problem. We then prove that the value function is a solution to a system of variational inequalities (SVI for short) …
We address the problem of making a managerial decision when the investment project is subsidized, which results in the resolution of an infinite-horizon optimal stopping problem of a switching diffusion driven by either an homogeneous or an inhomogeneous continuous-time Markov chain. We provide a characterization of the value function (and optimal strategy) of the optimal stopping problem. On the one hand, broadly, we can prove that the value function is the unique viscosity solution to a system of HJB equations. On the other hand, when the Markov chain is homogeneous and the switching diffusi…
This paper investigates the stochastic linear quadratic (LQ, for short) optimal control problem of Markov regime switching system. The representation of the cost functional for the stochastic LQ optimal control problem of Markov regime switching system is derived using the technique of It{ô}'s formula. For the stochastic LQ optimal control problem of Markov regime switching system, we establish the equivalence between the open-loop (closed-loop) solvability and the existence of an adapted solution to the corresponding forward-backward stochastic differential equation with constraint (the exist…
In this paper, we investigate the open-loop and weak closed-loop solvabilities of stochastic linear quadratic (LQ, for short) optimal control problem of Markovian regime switching system. Interestingly, these two solvabilities are equivalent. We first provide an alternative characterization of the open-loop solvability of the LQ problem using the perturbation approach. Then, we study the weak closed-loop solvability of the LQ problem of Markovian regime switching system, and establish the equivalent relationship between open-loop and weak closed-loop solvabilities. Finally, we present an examp…
The paper studies a class of multidimensional optimal stopping problems with infinite horizon for linear switching diffusions. There are two main novelties in the optimal problems considered: the underlying stochastic process has discontinuous paths and the cost function is not necessarily integrable on the entire time horizon, where the latter is often a key assumption in classical optimal stopping theory for diffusions, cf. [22, Corollary 2.9]. Under relatively mild conditions, we show, for the class of multidimensional optimal stopping problems under consideration, that the first entry time…
We solve two stochastic control problems in which a player tries to minimize or maximize the exit time from an interval of a Brownian particle, by controlling its drift. The player can change from one drift to another but is subject to a switching cost. In each problem, the value function is written as the solution of a free boundary problem involving second order ordinary differential equations, in which the unknown boundaries are found by applying the principle of smooth fit. For both problems, we compute the value function, we exhibit the optimal strategy and we prove its generic uniqueness…
In this work we provide explicit conditions on the existence of optimal feedback controls for stochastic processes with regime-switching. We use the compactification method which needs less regularity conditions on the coefficients of the studied stochastic systems. Two different kinds of controls have been considered: one is the control on the coefficients of the diffusion processes, another is the control on the transition rate matrices of the continuous-time Markov chains. Moreover, the dynamic programming principle is established after showing the continuity of the value function.
In this paper, we study the $m$-states optimal switching problem in finite horizon, when the switching cost functions are arbitrary and can be positive or negative. This has an economic incentive in terms of central evaluation in cases where such organizations or state grants or financial assistance to power plants that promotes green energy in their production activity or what uses less polluting modes in their production. We show existence for optimal strategy via a verification theorem then we show existence and uniqueness of the value processes by using an approximation scheme. In the mark…
We address a general optimal switching problem over finite horizon for a stochastic system described by a differential equation driven by Brownian motion. The main novelty is the fact that we allow for infinitely many modes (or regimes, i.e. the possible values of the piecewise-constant control process). We allow all the given coefficients in the model to be path-dependent, that is, their value at any time depends on the past trajectory of the controlled system. The main aim is to introduce a suitable (scalar) backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE), with a constraint on the martingal…
The stochastic logistic model with regime switching is an important model in the ecosystem. While analytic solution to this model is positive, current numerical methods are unable to preserve such boundaries in the approximation. So, proposing appropriate numerical method for solving this model which preserves positivity and dynamical behaviors of the model's solution is very important. In this paper, we present a positivity preserving truncated Euler-Maruyama scheme for this model, which taking advantages of being explicit and easily implementable. Without additional restriction conditions, s…
We formulate and solve a finite horizon full balance sheet two-modes optimal switching problem related to trade-off strategies between expected profit and cost yields. Given the current mode, this model allows for either a switch to the other mode or termination of the project, and this happens for both sides of the balance sheet. A novelty in this model is that the related obstacles are nonlinear in the underlying yields, whereas, they are linear in the standard optimal switching problem. The optimal switching problem is formulated in terms of a system of Snell envelopes for the profit and co…
We solve non-Markovian optimal switching problems in discrete time on an infinite horizon, when the decision maker is risk aware and the filtration is general, and establish existence and uniqueness of solutions for the associated reflected backward stochastic difference equations. An example application to hydropower planning is provided.
In this paper we give few expressions and asymptotics of ruin probabilities for a Markov modulated risk process for various regimes of a time horizon, initial reserves and a claim size distribution. We also consider few versions of the ruin time.
This paper studies finite-time optimal consumption-investment problems with power, logarithmic and exponential utilities, in a regime switching market with random coefficients, subject to coupled constraints on the consumption and investment strategies. We provide explicit optimal consumption-investment strategies and optimal values for the problems in terms of the solutions to some diagonally quadratic backward stochastic differential equation (BSDE) systems and linear BSDE systems with unbound coefficients. Some of these BSDEs are new in the literature and solving them is one of the main the…
We formulate an optimal switching problem when the underlying filtration is generated by a marked point process and a Brownian motion. Each mode is characterized by a different compensator for the point process, and thus by a different probability $\mathbb{P}^i$, which form a dominated family. To each strategy $\mathbf{a}$ of switching times and actions then corresponds a compensator and a probability $\mathbb{P}^\mathbf{a}$, and the reward is calculated under this probability. To solve this problem, we define and study a system of reflected BSDE where the obstacle for each equation depends on…
The present paper is devoted to the study of diagonally quadratic backward stochastic differential equation with oblique reflection. Using a penalization approach, we show the existence fo a solution by providing some delicated a priori estimates. We further obtain the uniqueness by verifying the first component of the solution is indeed the value of a switching probelm for quadratic BSDEs. Moreover, we provide an extension for the solvability and apply our results to study a risk-sensitive switching problem for functional stochastic differential equations.
We consider systems of backward stochastic differential equations with càdlàg upper barrier $U$ and oblique reflection from below driven by an increasing continuous function $H$. Our equations are defined on general probability spaces with a filtration satisfying merely the usual assumptions of right continuity and completeness. We assume that the pair $(H(U),U)$ satisfies a Mokobodzki--type condition. We prove the existence of a solution for integrable terminal conditions and integrable quasi--monotone generators. Applications to the optimal switching problem are given.
We introduce and study a new class of optimal switching problems, namely switching problem with controlled randomisation, where some extra-randomness impacts the choice of switching modes and associated costs. We show that the optimal value of the switching problem is related to a new class of multidimensional obliquely reflected BSDEs. These BSDEs allow as well to construct an optimal strategy and thus to solve completely the initial problem. The other main contribution of our work is to prove new existence and uniqueness results for these obliquely reflected BSDEs. This is achieved by a care…
This paper deals with optimal prediction in a regime-switching model driven by a continuous-time Markov chain. We extend existing results for geometric Brownian motion by deriving optimal stopping strategies that depend on the current regime state, and prove a number of continuity properties relating to optimal value and boundary functions. Our approach replaces the use of closed form expressions, which are not available in our setting, with PDE arguments that also simplify the approach of [2] in the classical Brownian case.
