Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T19:19:39.287Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Optimal Buy/Sell Rules for Correlated Random Walks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2016

Pieter Allaart*
Affiliation:
University of North Texas
Michael Monticino*
Affiliation:
University of North Texas
*
Postal address: Mathematics Department, University of North Texas, PO Box 311430, Denton, TX 76203-1430, USA.
Postal address: Mathematics Department, University of North Texas, PO Box 311430, Denton, TX 76203-1430, USA.
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Correlated random walks provide an elementary model for processes that exhibit directional reinforcement behavior. This paper develops optimal multiple stopping strategies - buy/sell rules - for correlated random walks. The work extends previous results given in Allaart and Monticino (2001) by considering random step sizes and allowing possibly negative reinforcement of the walk's current direction. The optimal strategies fall into two general classes - cases where conservative buy-and-hold type strategies are optimal and cases for which it is optimal to follow aggressive trading strategies of successively buying and selling the commodity depending on whether the price goes up or down. Simulation examples are given based on a stock index fund to illustrate the variation in return possible using the theoretically optimal stop rules compared to simpler buy-and-hold strategies.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Applied Probability Trust 2008 

References

Allaart, P. C. (2004). Optimal stopping rules for correlated random walks with a discount. J. Appl. Prob. 41, 483496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allaart, P. C. and Monticino, M. G. (2001). Optimal stopping rules for directionally reinforced processes. Adv. Appl. Prob. 33, 483504.Google Scholar
Böhm, W. (2000). The correlated random walk with boundaries: a combinatorial solution. J. Appl. Prob. 37, 470479.Google Scholar
Chen, A. Y. and Renshaw, E. (1994). The general correlated random walk. J. Appl. Prob. 31, 869884.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gillis, J. (1955). Correlated random walk. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 51, 639651.Google Scholar
Goldstein, S. (1951). On diffusion by discontinuous movements, and on the telegraph equation. Quart. J. Mech. 4, 129156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henderson, R. and Renshaw, E. (1980). Spatial stochastic models and computer simulation applied to the study of tree root systems. Compstat 80, 389395.Google Scholar
Iossif, G. (1986). Return probabilities for correlated random walks. J. Appl. Prob. 23, 201207.Google Scholar
Jain, G. C. (1971). Some results in a correlated random walk. Canad. Math. Bull. 14, 341347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jain, G. C. (1973). On the expected number of visits of a particle before absorption in a correlated random walk. Canad. Math. Bull. 16, 389395.Google Scholar
Malkiel, B. G. (1999). A Random Walk Down Wall Street, 7th edn. Norton, New York.Google Scholar
Mauldin, R. D., Monticino, M. G. and Von Weizsäcker, H. (1996). Directionally reinforced random walks. Adv. Math. 117, 239252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohan, C. (1955). The gamblerös ruin problem with correlation. Biometrika 42, 486493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mukherjea, A. and Steele, D. (1986). Conditional expected durations of play given the ultimate outcome for a correlated random walk. Statist. Prob. Lett. 4, 237243.Google Scholar
Mukherjea, A. and Steele, D. (1987). Occupation probability of a correlated random walk and a correlated ruin problem. Statist. Prob. Lett. 5, 105111.Google Scholar
Proudfoot, A. D. and Lampard, D. G. (1972). A random walk problem with correlation. J. Appl. Prob. 9, 436440.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renshaw, E. and Henderson, R. (1981). The correlated random walk. J. Appl. Prob. 18, 403414.Google Scholar
Seth, A. (1963). The correlated unrestricted random walk. J. R. Statist. Soc. B 25, 394400.Google Scholar
Zhang, Y. L. (1992). Some problems on a one-dimensional correlated random walk with various types of barrier. J. Appl. Prob. 29, 196201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar