Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 40 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Assume the regime is observed and . With , the wealth dynamics areLet be the value function conditional on the continuous-time Markov chain being in state . Its generator adds to the diffusion generator. The Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation isFor , , the maximizing controls are and . Put . The optimized equation isHere is the utility conjugate.
Choose the normalization ; an additive utility constant shifts every value by that constant divided by . Homogeneity gives with . The regime-switching Merton equations reduce the differential system to one nonlinear algebraic equation per regime:The candidate feedback controls areChanging the regime changes consumption's wealth coefficient, while the risky fraction uses the current regime's risk premium and volatility.
Numerically solve these finite-dimensional equations by a damped Newton method, using to enforce positivity. For , the Jacobian in the variables isMultiply its th column by in the logarithmic variables. A residual-decreasing line search and continuation from , where the positive solution is the scalar Merton coefficient in each well-posed regime, give a practical method whenever that starting problem is finite. More generally use a positive initialization for the coupled system, and check residuals, positivity and conditioning rather than accepting an arbitrary algebraic root.
Verification requires constructing admissible feedback controls, proving the resulting wealth stays nonnegative, and establishing the stochastic-integral and transversality bounds needed at infinite horizon. Apply the Itô formula for semimartingales with jumps to , stopping before wealth leaves a compact interval. The Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation makes accumulated utility plus discounted candidate value a local supermartingale for every admissible policy and a local martingale under the feedback. Justify removal of localization and let the terminal discounted value vanish under the candidate. For , the nonnegative terminal value can be dropped for the upper bound; for it is negative, so a transversality or dual integrability argument is essential. This establishes the global value bound and attainment, rather than just stationarity of the algebraic equations. The boundary is for and the limiting value for .