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Aleš Černý

Publications and source records attributed to Aleš Černý.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

On integrability of local utility maximizing strategies

In stochastic control problems involving optimal portfolio choice, one often seeks an optimizer of some local criterion (dynamic programming value function) generated by some global criterion (e.g., expected utility). The local optimizer then typically acts as a stochastic integrand with respect to some multivariate stochastic process (e.g., asset prices). This paper takes a closer look at local criteria in the form of ``local expected utility''. Since the existence of the local optimizer can be established under very mild conditions, it is crucial to understand under what circumstances the local optimizer has good integrability properties. It is shown that the reasonable asymptotic elasticity condition of Kramkov and Schachermayer (1999) applied to the local utility function plays a key role in this context.

math.OC↗
arXiv2026

Cash-invariant hull representation of divergence preferences

Uniformly weighted divergence preferences (UWDP) introduced in Maccheroni et al. (2006) are an important class of risk-averse preferences that contain as a special case the monotone mean--variance utility. UWDP are characterised by the lowest expected value of an act in $L^\infty$ under an adversarially chosen probability measure combined with the divergence of this measure. Our main result provides an alternative, computationally friendlier formula, which establishes in full generality that UWDP are the translation-invariant hull of state-independent expected utility over $L^0$. Some consequences of the new representation are studied.

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arXiv2026

Dynamically optimal portfolios for monotone mean--variance preferences

Monotone mean-variance (MMV) utility is the minimal modification of the classical Markowitz utility that respects rational ordering of investment opportunities. This paper provides, for the first time, a complete characterization of optimal dynamic portfolio choice for the MMV utility in asset price models with independent returns. The task is performed under minimal assumptions, weaker than the existence of an equivalent martingale measure and with no restrictions on the moments of asset returns. We interpret the maximal MMV utility in terms of the monotone Sharpe ratio (MSR) and show that the global squared MSR arises as the nominal yield from continuously compounding at the rate equal to the maximal local squared MSR. The paper gives simple necessary and sufficient conditions for mean-variance (MV) efficient portfolios to be MMV efficient. Several illustrative examples contrasting the MV and MMV criteria are provided.

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arXiv2025

Numeraire-invariant quadratic hedging and mean--variance portfolio allocation

The paper investigates quadratic hedging in a semimartingale market that does not necessarily contain a risk-free asset. An equivalence result for hedging with and without numeraire change is established. This permits direct computation of the optimal strategy without choosing a reference asset and/or performing a numeraire change. New explicit expressions for optimal strategies are obtained, featuring the use of oblique projections that provide unified treatment of the case with and without a risk-free asset. The analysis yields a streamlined computation of the efficient frontier for the pure investment problem in terms of three easily interpreted processes. The main result advances our understanding of the efficient frontier formation in the most general case where a risk-free asset may not be present. Several illustrations of the numeraire-invariant approach are given.

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arXiv2024

The law of one price in quadratic hedging and mean-variance portfolio selection

The law of one price (LOP) broadly asserts that identical financial flows should command the same price. We show that, when properly formulated, LOP is the minimal condition for a well-defined mean-variance portfolio selection framework without degeneracy. Crucially, the paper identifies a new mechanism through which LOP can fail in a continuous-time $L^2$ setting without frictions, namely 'trading from just before a predictable stopping time', which surprisingly identifies LOP violations even for continuous price processes. Closing this loophole allows to give a version of the "Fundamental Theorem of Asset Pricing" appropriate in the quadratic context, establishing the equivalence of the economic concept of LOP with the probabilistic property of the existence of a local $\scr{E}$-martingale state price density. The latter provides unique prices for all square-integrable claims in an extended market and subsequently plays an important role in quadratic hedging and mean-variance portfolio selection. Mathematically, we formulate a novel variant of the uniform boundedness principle for conditionally linear functionals on the $L^0$ module of conditionally square-integrable random variables. We then study the representation of time-consistent families of such functionals in terms of stochastic exponentials of a fixed local martingale.

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arXiv2024

On indication, strict monotonicity, and efficiency of projections in a general class of path-based data envelopment models

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) theory formulates a number of desirable properties that DEA models should satisfy. Among these, indication, strict monotonicity, and strong efficiency of projections tend to be grouped together in the sense that, in individual models, typically, either all three are satisfied or all three fail at the same time. Specifically, in slacks-based graph models, the three properties are always met; in path-based models, such as radial models, directional distance function models, and the hyperbolic function model, the three properties, with some minor exceptions, typically all fail. Motivated by this observation, the article examines relationships among indication, strict monotonicity, and strong efficiency of projections in the class of path-based models over variable returns-to-scale technology sets. Under mild assumptions, it is shown that the property of strict monotonicity and strong efficiency of projections are equivalent, and that both properties imply indication. This paper also characterises a narrow class of technology sets and path directions for which the three properties hold in path-based models.

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arXiv2023

A unified approach to radial, hyperbolic, and directional efficiency measurement in Data Envelopment Analysis

The paper analyses properties of a large class of "path-based" Data Envelopment Analysis models through a unifying general scheme. The scheme includes the well-known oriented radial models, the hyperbolic distance function model, the directional distance function models, and even permits their generalisations. The modelling is not constrained to non-negative data and is flexible enough to accommodate variants of standard models over arbitrary data. Mathematical tools developed in the paper allow systematic analysis of the models from the point of view of ten desirable properties. It is shown that some of the properties are satisfied (resp., fail) for all models in the general scheme, while others have a more nuanced behaviour and must be assessed individually in each model. Our results can help researchers and practitioners navigate among the different models and apply the models to mixed data.

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arXiv2023

Simplified calculus for semimartingales: Multiplicative compensators and changes of measure

The paper develops multiplicative compensation for complex-valued semimartingales and studies some of its consequences. It is shown that the stochastic exponential of any complex-valued semimartingale with independent increments becomes a true martingale after multiplicative compensation when such compensation is meaningful. This generalization of the Lévy--Khintchin formula fills an existing gap in the literature. It allows, for example, the computation of the Mellin transform of a signed stochastic exponential, which in turn has practical applications in mean--variance portfolio theory. Girsanov-type results based on multiplicatively compensated semimartingales simplify treatment of absolutely continuous measure changes. As an example, we obtain the characteristic function of log returns for a popular class of minimax measures in a Lévy setting.

math.PR↗
arXiv2022

Simplified stochastic calculus via semimartingale representations

We develop a stochastic calculus that makes it easy to capture a variety of predictable transformations of semimartingales such as changes of variables, stochastic integrals, and their compositions. The framework offers a unified treatment of real-valued and complex-valued semimartingales. The proposed calculus is a blueprint for the derivation of new relationships among stochastic processes with specific examples provided below.

math.PR↗
arXiv2021

Simplified stochastic calculus with applications in Economics and Finance

The paper introduces a simple way of recording and manipulating general stochastic processes without explicit reference to a probability measure. In the new calculus, operations traditionally presented in a measure-specific way are instead captured by tracing the behaviour of jumps (also when no jumps are physically present). The calculus is fail-safe in that, under minimal assumptions, all informal calculations yield mathematically well-defined stochastic processes. The calculus is also intuitive as it allows the user to pretend all jumps are of compound Poisson type. The new calculus is very effective when it comes to computing drifts and expected values that possibly involve a change of measure. Such drift calculations yield, for example, partial integro-differential equations, Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations, Feynman-Kac formulae, or exponential moments needed in numerous applications. We provide several illustrations of the new technique, among them a novel result on the Margrabe option to exchange one defaultable asset for another.

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arXiv2020

Pure-jump semimartingales

A new integral with respect to an integer-valued random measure is introduced. In contrast to the finite variation integral ubiquitous in semimartingale theory (Jacod and Shiryaev, 2003, II.1.5), the new integral is closed under stochastic integration, composition, and smooth transformations. The new integral gives rise to a previously unstudied class of pure-jump processes: the sigma-locally finite variation pure-jump processes. As an application, it is shown that every semimartingale $X$ has a unique decomposition $$X = X_0 + X^{\mathrm{qc}}+X^{\mathrm{dp}},$$ where $X^{\mathrm{qc}}$ is quasi-left-continuous and $X^{\mathrm{dp}}$ is a sigma-locally finite variation pure-jump process that jumps only at predictable times, both starting at zero. The decomposition mirrors the classical result for local martingales (Yoeurp, 1976, Theoreme~1.4) and gives a rigorous meaning to the notions of continuous-time and discrete-time components of a semimartingale. Against this backdrop, the paper investigates a wider class of processes that are equal to the sum of their jumps in the semimartingale topology and constructs a taxonomic hierarchy of pure-jump semimartingales.

math.PR↗
arXiv2020

The Hansen ratio in mean--variance portfolio theory

It is shown that the ratio between the mean and the $L^2$-norm leads to a particularly parsimonious description of the mean-variance efficient frontier and the dual pricing kernel restrictions known as the Hansen-Jagannathan (HJ) bounds. Because this ratio has not appeared in economic theory previously, it seems appropriate to name it the Hansen ratio. The initial treatment of the mean-variance theory via the Hansen ratio is extended in two directions, to monotone mean-variance preferences and to arbitrary Hilbert space setting. A multiperiod example with IID returns is also discussed.

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arXiv2020

Semimartingale theory of monotone mean--variance portfolio allocation

We study dynamic optimal portfolio allocation for monotone mean--variance preferences in a general semimartingale model. Armed with new results in this area we revisit the work of Cui, Li, Wang and Zhu (2012, MAFI) and fully characterize the circumstances under which one can set aside a non-negative cash flow while simultaneously improving the mean--variance efficiency of the left-over wealth. The paper analyzes, for the first time, the monotone hull of the Sharpe ratio and highlights its relevance to the problem at hand.

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arXiv2019

Simple Explicit Formula for Near-Optimal Stochastic Lifestyling

In life-cycle economics the Samuelson paradigm (Samuelson, 1969) states that the optimal investment is in constant proportions out of lifetime wealth composed of current savings and the present value of future income. It is well known that in the presence of credit constraints this paradigm no longer applies. Instead, optimal lifecycle investment gives rise to so-called stochastic lifestyling (Cairns et al., 2006), whereby for low levels of accumulated capital it is optimal to invest fully in stocks and then gradually switch to safer assets as the level of savings increases. In stochastic lifestyling not only does the ratio between risky and safe assets change but also the mix of risky assets varies over time. While the existing literature relies on complex numerical algorithms to quantify optimal lifestyling the present paper provides a simple formula that captures the main essence of the lifestyling effect with remarkable accuracy.

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arXiv2019

Convex duality and Orlicz spaces in expected utility maximization

In this paper we report further progress towards a complete theory of state-independent expected utility maximization with semimartingale price processes for arbitrary utility function. Without any technical assumptions we establish a surprising Fenchel duality result on conjugate Orlicz spaces, offering a new economic insight into the nature of primal optima and providing fresh perspective on the classical papers of Kramkov and Schachermayer (1999, 2003). The analysis points to an intriguing interplay between no-arbitrage conditions and standard convex optimization and motivates study of the Fundamental Theorem of Asset Pricing (FTAP) for Orlicz tame strategies.

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arXiv2017

A Singular Differential Equation Stemming from an Optimal Control Problem in Financial Economics

We consider the ordinary differential equation $x^2 u'' = axu'+bu-c(u'-1)^2, x\in (0,x_0)$, with $a\in\mathbb{R}, b\in\mathbb{R}$, $c>0$ and the singular initial condition $u(0)=0$, which in financial economics describes optimal disposal of an asset in a market with liquidity effects. It is shown in the paper that if $a+b < 0$ then no solutions exist, whereas if $a+b\ge0$ then there are infinitely many solutions with indistinguishable asymptotics near 0. Moreover, it is proved that in the latter case there is precisely one solution $u$ corresponding to the choice $x_0=\infty$ which is such that $0 \le u(x)\le x$ for all $x>0$, and that this solution is strictly increasing and concave.

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arXiv2017

On the Structure of General Mean-Variance Hedging Strategies

We provide a new characterization of mean-variance hedging strategies in a general semimartingale market. The key point is the introduction of a new probability measure $P^{\star}$ which turns the dynamic asset allocation problem into a myopic one. The minimal martingale measure relative to $P^{\star}$ coincides with the variance-optimal martingale measure relative to the original probability measure $P$.

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