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Duality theory for optimal investments under model uncertainty

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  • Alexander Schied
  • Ching-Tang Wu

Abstract

Robust utility functionals arise as numerical representations of investor preferences, when the investor is uncertain about the underlying probabilistic model and averse against both risk and model uncertainty. In this paper, we study the duality theory for the problem of maximizing the robust utility of the terminal wealth in a general incomplete market model. We also allow for very general sets of prior models. In particular, we do not assume that all prior models are equivalent to each other, which allows us to handle many economically meaningful robust utility functionals such as those defined by AVaR(lambda), concave distortions, or convex capacities. We also show that dropping the equivalence of prior models may lead to new effects such as the existence of arbitrage strategies under the least favorable model.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Schied & Ching-Tang Wu, 2005. "Duality theory for optimal investments under model uncertainty," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2005-025, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, revised Sep 2005.
    • Handle: RePEc:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2005-025
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alexander Schied, 2004. "On the Neyman-Pearson problem for law-invariant risk measures and robust utility functionals," Papers math/0407127, arXiv.org.
    2. E. Jouini & W. Schachermayer & N. Touzi, 2008. "Optimal Risk Sharing For Law Invariant Monetary Utility Functions," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 269-292, April.
    3. Thomas Goll & Ludger Rüschendorf, 2001. "Minimax and minimal distance martingale measures and their relationship to portfolio optimization," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 5(4), pages 557-581.
    4. Gilboa, Itzhak & Schmeidler, David, 1989. "Maxmin expected utility with non-unique prior," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 141-153, April.
    5. Baudoin, Fabrice, 0. "Conditioned stochastic differential equations: theory, examples and application to finance," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 100(1-2), pages 109-145, July.
    6. Gilboa, Itzhak, 1987. "Expected utility with purely subjective non-additive probabilities," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 65-88, February.
    7. Schmeidler, David, 1989. "Subjective Probability and Expected Utility without Additivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(3), pages 571-587, May.
    8. Alexander Schied, 2005. "Optimal Investments for Robust Utility Functionals in Complete Market Models," Mathematics of Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 750-764, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    model uncertainty; duality theory; investment; uncertainty; utility; arbitrage;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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