Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2009/ii/paper-4/29j/solution

The terminal wealth of portfolio is the scalar normal distribution , with mean and variance . Its Gaussian exponential moment gives
Since is strictly increasing in , strict preference is exactly . The nonsingular covariance matrix is positive definite. Completing the square gives
so the unique optimum is .
Paying the deterministic transaction cost reduces the certainty equivalent of the new portfolio by . Put . Its gain over the current portfolio is exactly
If every , then , so every nonzero trade has strictly negative gain, by positive definiteness. Conversely, if , choose . Its gain is
for . Therefore

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