Conditionally symmetric increments ($\mathcal{L}(X_t-X_s\mid {\mathcal{F}}_s)=\mathcal{L}(X_s-X_t\mid {\mathcal{F}}_s)$)

A process has conditionally symmetric increments if, for all deterministic $s\le t$ and bounded measurable $g$,Equivalently, the conditional characteristic function of every increment is invariant under changing the sign of its argument. This property is stronger than unconditional symmetry and is different from independent increments. It supplies identities between positive and negative exponential terminal martingales.

Suppose $X$ is a continuous local martingale starting at zero, with conditionally symmetric increments, and terminal conditional expectations have continuous martingale versions. ThenTo prove this, set $M_t=\mathbb{E}[e^{i\theta X_T}\mid {\mathcal{F}}_t]$. Symmetry makes $e^{-2i\theta X_t}{M}_t$ a martingale, and the Itô product rule gives $d⟨M,X⟩=i\theta Md⟨X⟩$. Consequently $e^{-i\theta X_t-{\theta }^2⟨X{⟩}_t/2}{M}_t$ is a bounded local martingale, hence a martingale. Evaluating at the endpoints proves the formula. If also $X_T\sim N(0,T)$ for all $T$, the values of the bracket Laplace transform at $1$ and $2$ force $⟨X{⟩}_T=T$ almost surely. Continuity and the Lévy characterization of Brownian motion then identify $X$ as Brownian motion.