Suppose that Sˉt≡(St0,…,Std)T denotes the vector of prices of d+1 assets at times t=0,1,…, and that θˉt≡(θt0,…,θtd)T denotes the vector of the numbers of the d+1 different assets held by an investor from time t−1 to time t. Assuming that asset 0 is a bank account paying zero interest, that is, St0=1 for all t⩾0, explain what is meant by the statement that the portfolio process (θˉt)t⩾0 is self-financing. If the portfolio process is self-financing, prove that for any t>0
θˉt⋅Sˉt−θˉ0⋅Sˉ0=j=1∑tθj⋅ΔSj
where Sj≡(Sj1,…,Sjd)T,ΔSj=Sj−Sj−1, and θj≡(θj1,…,θjd)T.
Suppose now that the ΔSt are independent with common N(0,V) distribution. Let
F(z)=infE[t⩾1∑(1−β)βt{(θˉt⋅Sˉt−θˉ0⋅Sˉ0)2+j=1∑t∣Δθj∣2}∣θ0=z]
where β∈(0,1) and the infimum is taken over all self-financing portfolio processes (θˉt)t⩾0 with θ00=0. Explain why F should satisfy the equation
F(z)=βyinf[y⋅Vy+∣y−z∣2+F(y)]
If Q is a positive-definite symmetric matrix satisfying the equation
Q=β(V+I+Q)−1(V+Q)
show that (∗) has a solution of the form F(z)=z⋅Qz.