English

New Formulations of Ambiguous Volatility with an Application to Optimal Dynamic Contracting

Theoretical Economics 2021-09-21 v1 Mathematical Finance

Abstract

I introduce novel preference formulations which capture aversion to ambiguity about unknown and potentially time-varying volatility. I compare these preferences with Gilboa and Schmeidler's maxmin expected utility as well as variational formulations of ambiguity aversion. The impact of ambiguity aversion is illustrated in a simple static model of portfolio choice, as well as a dynamic model of optimal contracting under repeated moral hazard. Implications for investor beliefs, optimal design of corporate securities, and asset pricing are explored.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2101.12306,
  title  = {New Formulations of Ambiguous Volatility with an Application to Optimal Dynamic Contracting},
  author = {Peter G. Hansen},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2101.12306},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

38 pages, 7 figures