Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / iii / Paper 39 / 6 / b / Solution

Let $h_t$ and $k_t$ be predictable holdings in the stock and account, with the stochastic integrability needed for a self-financing portfolio. Then $V=hS+kB$ and $dV=hdS+kdB$. The Itô product rule and self-financing identity giveSince $V=hS+kB$ and $\sigma \lambda =\mu -r$, the finite-variation term is zero. Thereforeand the deflated wealth is a local martingale.

For zero-capital nonnegative wealth under a local deflator, a nonnegative local martingale is a supermartingale, by localization and the Conditional Fatou lemma. Under the required nonnegative-wealth condition, $ZV\ge 0$ and starts at zero, so $0\le \mathbb{E}(Z_t{V}_t)\le 0$. Thus $Z_t{V}_t=0$ almost surely at every fixed $t$. Strict positivity of $Z$ gives $V_t=0$ almost surely. Taking a countable intersection over rational times and then using continuous wealth paths strengthens this toThis argument only needs the local deflator, so it remains valid without promoting $ZB$ to a true martingale.