Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / iii / Paper 201 / 6 / c

Suppose $X_n\to X$ with convergence in probability. For real $t$ and $\delta >0$, the elementary inequality $|e^{iu}-e^{iv}|\le \min (2,|u-v|)$ givesFirst let $n\to \infty$, then let $\delta \downarrow 0$. The characteristic functions converge pointwise to that of $X$, which is continuous at zero. The Lévy continuity theorem gives convergence in probability implies convergence in distribution.

For the converse, let $Z$ have the fair Bernoulli distribution, put $X=Z$, and set $X_n=1-Z$ for every $n$. All $X_n$ have the same probability distribution as $X$, so $X_n\stackrel{d}{\to }X$. But $|X_n-X|=1$ always, henceThere is no convergence in probability to $X$. In this example $X_n$ does have convergence in probability to $1-Z$: the counterexample concerns the converse with the specified limit $X$, as usual. If one interprets the question as denying convergence in probability to any limit, take $X_n=Z$ for even $n$ and $X_n=1-Z$ for odd $n$. Its probability distribution is still constant, while the two subsequences have distinct limits from almost sure convergence, ruling out any common limit in probability by uniqueness of a limit in probability.