IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wsi/ijfexx/v05y2018i01ns2424786318500081.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An analytical solution for the HJB equation arising from the Merton problem

Author

Listed:
  • Song-Ping Zhu

    (School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

  • Guiyuan Ma

    (School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia)

Abstract

In this paper, an analytical solution for the well-known Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation that arises from the Merton problem subject to general utility functions is presented for the first time. The solution presented in this paper is written in the form of a Taylor’s series expansion and constructed through the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The fully nonlinear HJB equation is decomposed into an infinite series of linear PDEs which can be solved analytically. Four examples are presented with the first two cases showing the accuracy of our solution approach; while the last two demonstrating its versatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Song-Ping Zhu & Guiyuan Ma, 2018. "An analytical solution for the HJB equation arising from the Merton problem," International Journal of Financial Engineering (IJFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(01), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijfexx:v:05:y:2018:i:01:n:s2424786318500081
    DOI: 10.1142/S2424786318500081
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S2424786318500081
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1142/S2424786318500081?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jing Zhao & Hoi Ying Wong, 2012. "A closed-form solution to American options under general diffusion processes," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(5), pages 725-737, July.
    2. Merton, Robert C., 1971. "Optimum consumption and portfolio rules in a continuous-time model," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 373-413, December.
    3. Markus K. Brunnermeier & Stefan Nagel, 2008. "Do Wealth Fluctuations Generate Time-Varying Risk Aversion? Micro-evidence on Individuals," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(3), pages 713-736, June.
    4. Song-Ping Zhu, 2006. "An exact and explicit solution for the valuation of American put options," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(3), pages 229-242.
    5. repec:dau:papers:123456789/5524 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Wachter, Jessica A., 2002. "Portfolio and Consumption Decisions under Mean-Reverting Returns: An Exact Solution for Complete Markets," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(1), pages 63-91, March.
    7. Henderson, Vicky, 2005. "Explicit solutions to an optimal portfolio choice problem with stochastic income," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1237-1266, July.
    8. Chandrasekhar Reddy Gukhal, 2001. "Analytical Valuation of American Options on Jump‐Diffusion Processes," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), pages 97-115, January.
    9. Liu, Xuan & Yang, Fang & Cai, Zongwu, 2016. "Does relative risk aversion vary with wealth? Evidence from households׳ portfolio choice data," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 229-248.
    10. Merton, Robert C, 1969. "Lifetime Portfolio Selection under Uncertainty: The Continuous-Time Case," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 51(3), pages 247-257, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hidekazu Yoshioka & Yuta Yaegashi, 2020. "A growth rate control problem of harmful species population and its application to algae bloom," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 107-124, March.
    2. Christelle Dleuna Nyoumbi & Antoine Tambue, 2023. "A Novel High Dimensional Fitted Scheme for Stochastic Optimal Control Problems," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 61(1), pages 1-34, January.
    3. Guiyuan Ma & Song-Ping Zhu & Boda Kang, 2020. "A Numerical Solution of Optimal Portfolio Selection Problem with General Utility Functions," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 55(3), pages 957-981, March.
    4. Guiyuan Ma & Song-Ping Zhu, 2022. "Revisiting the Merton Problem: from HARA to CARA Utility," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 651-686, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. He, Yong & Zhou, Xia & Chen, Peimin & Wang, Xiaoyang, 2022. "An analytical solution for the robust investment-reinsurance strategy with general utilities," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    2. Guiyuan Ma & Song-Ping Zhu, 2022. "Revisiting the Merton Problem: from HARA to CARA Utility," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 59(2), pages 651-686, February.
    3. Carolina Achury & Sylwia Hubar & Christos Koulovatianos, 2012. "Saving Rates and Portfolio Choice with Subsistence Consumption," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(1), pages 108-126, January.
    4. John H. Cochrane, 2014. "A Mean-Variance Benchmark for Intertemporal Portfolio Theory," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(1), pages 1-49, February.
    5. Carolina Achury & Sylwia Hubar & Christos Koulovatianos, 2012. "Saving Rates and Portfolio Choice with Subsistence Consumption," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(1), pages 108-126, January.
    6. Larsen, Linda Sandris & Munk, Claus, 2012. "The costs of suboptimal dynamic asset allocation: General results and applications to interest rate risk, stock volatility risk, and growth/value tilts," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 266-293.
    7. Jakša Cvitani'{c} & Levon Goukasian & Fernando Zapatero, 2007. "Optimal Risk Taking with Flexible Income," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(10), pages 1594-1603, October.
    8. Jan Kallsen & Johannes Muhle-Karbe, 2013. "The General Structure of Optimal Investment and Consumption with Small Transaction Costs," Papers 1303.3148, arXiv.org, revised May 2015.
    9. John Y. Campbell & Yeung Lewis Chanb & M. Viceira, 2013. "A multivariate model of strategic asset allocation," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part II, chapter 39, pages 809-848, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    10. Munk, Claus & Sorensen, Carsten, 2004. "Optimal consumption and investment strategies with stochastic interest rates," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(8), pages 1987-2013, August.
    11. Mark E. Wohar & David E. Rapach, 2005. "Return Predictability and the Implied Intertemporal Hedging Demands for Stocks and Bonds: International Evidence," Computing in Economics and Finance 2005 329, Society for Computational Economics.
    12. Michael W. Brandt & Amit Goyal & Pedro Santa-Clara & Jonathan R. Stroud, 2005. "A Simulation Approach to Dynamic Portfolio Choice with an Application to Learning About Return Predictability," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 831-873.
    13. Ferstl, Robert & Weissensteiner, Alex, 2011. "Asset-liability management under time-varying investment opportunities," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 182-192, January.
    14. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    15. Christensen, Peter Ove & Larsen, Kasper & Munk, Claus, 2012. "Equilibrium in securities markets with heterogeneous investors and unspanned income risk," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 147(3), pages 1035-1063.
    16. John Ameriks & Gábor Kézdi & Minjoon Lee & Matthew D. Shapiro, 2020. "Heterogeneity in Expectations, Risk Tolerance, and Household Stock Shares: The Attenuation Puzzle," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(3), pages 633-646, July.
    17. Bilel Jarraya & Abdelfettah Bouri, 2013. "A Theoretical Assessment on Optimal Asset Allocations in Insurance Industry," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 2(4), pages 30-44, October.
    18. Chenxu Li & Olivier Scaillet & Yiwen Shen, 2020. "Wealth Effect on Portfolio Allocation in Incomplete Markets," Papers 2004.10096, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2021.
    19. Penaranda, Francisco, 2007. "Portfolio choice beyond the traditional approach," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 24481, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Jakub W. Jurek & Luis M. Viceira, 2011. "Optimal Value and Growth Tilts in Long-Horizon Portfolios," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 15(1), pages 29-74.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wsi:ijfexx:v:05:y:2018:i:01:n:s2424786318500081. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Tai Tone Lim (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/ijfe .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.