This thesis investigates models of market risk assessment based on genetic algorithms, with specific reference to asset portfolio choice under volatile market conditions. It does so by developing computational simulations of asset portfolios, which are then subjected to stressful price events. A...

First developed by Markowitz (1952), the mean-variance framework is the most widespread theoretical approximation to the portfolio problem. Nevertheless, successful application in the investment community has been limited. Assumptions such as normality of returns and a static correlation matrix...

We derive sufficient conditions for non-emptyness of the efficient set for Stochastic Dominance Relations, commonly applied in Economics and Finance, over sets of distributions on the real line. We do so via the use of the concept of stochastic spanning and its characterization via a saddle type...

We develop and implement methods for determining whether introducing new securities or relaxing investment constraints improves the investment opportunity set for prospect investors. We formulate a new testing procedure for prospect spanning for two nested portfolio sets based on subsampling and...

The purpose of this article is to evaluate optimal expected utility risk measures (OEU) in a risk- constrained portfolio optimization context where the expected portfolio return is maximized. We compare the portfolio optimization with OEU constraint to a portfolio selection model using value at...

This interdisciplinary paper explains how mathematical techniques of stochastic optimal control can be applied to the recent subprime mortgage crisis. Why did the financial markets fail to anticipate the recent debt crisis, despite the large literature in mathematical finance concerning optimal...

The two fund separation property of the elliptical distributions is extended to the skew-elliptical and by adding a number of funds equalling the rank of the skewness matrix. Some elements of the generalization to singular extended skew-elliptical distributions are covered. -- Portfolio...

I develop a stochastic growth model with production where there is a hidden state governing productivity growth regimes, and the hidden state evolves according to a Markov chain. Economic agents learn about the hidden state and display ambiguity aversion in the spirit of Klibanoff et al. (2005)....