Lukasz Szpruch

Bio: Lukasz Szpruch is an academic researcher from University of Edinburgh. The author has contributed to research in topics: Stochastic differential equation & Lipschitz continuity. The author has an hindex of 22, co-authored 68 publications receiving 1596 citations. Previous affiliations of Lukasz Szpruch include University of Oxford & The Turing Institute.

An Euler-type method for the strong approximation of the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross process

Abstract: We analyse the strong approximation of the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross (CIR) process in the regime where the process does not hit zero by a positivity preserving drift-implicit Euler-type method. As an error criterion, we use the p th mean of the maximum distance between the CIR process and its approximation on a finite time interval. We show that under mild assumptions on the parameters of the CIR process, the proposed method attains, up to a logarithmic term, the convergence of order 1/2. This agrees with the standard rate of the strong convergence for global approximations of stochastic differential equations with Lipschitz coefficients, despite the fact that the CIR process has a non-Lipschitz diffusion coefficient.

Antithetic multilevel Monte Carlo estimation for multi-dimensional SDEs without Lévy area simulation

Abstract: In this paper we introduce a new multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) estimator for multi-dimensional SDEs driven by Brownian motions. Giles has previously shown that if we combine a numerical approximation with strong order of convergence $O(\Delta t)$ with MLMC we can reduce the computational complexity to estimate expected values of functionals of SDE solutions with a root-mean-square error of $\epsilon$ from $O(\epsilon^{-3})$ to $O(\epsilon^{-2})$. However, in general, to obtain a rate of strong convergence higher than $O(\Delta t^{1/2})$ requires simulation, or approximation, of Levy areas. In this paper, through the construction of a suitable antithetic multilevel correction estimator, we are able to avoid the simulation of Levy areas and still achieve an $O(\Delta t^{2})$ multilevel correction variance for smooth payoffs, and almost an $O(\Delta t^{3/2})$ variance for piecewise smooth payoffs, even though there is only $O(\Delta t^{1/2})$ strong convergence. This results in an $O(\epsilon^{-2})$ complexity for estimating the value of European and Asian put and call options.

Strong convergence rates for backward Euler-Maruyama method for non-linear dissipative-type stochastic differential equations with super-linear diffusion coefficients

Abstract: In this work, we generalize the current theory of strong convergence rates for the backward Euler–Maruyama scheme for highly non-linear stochastic differential equations, which appear in both mathematical finance and bio-mathematics. More precisely, we show that under a dissipative condition on the drift coefficient and super-linear growth condition on the diffusion coefficient the BEM scheme converges with strong order of a half. This type of convergence gives theoretical foundations for efficient variance reduction techniques for Monte Carlo simulations. We support our theoretical results with relevant examples, such as stochastic population models and stochastic volatility models.

First order strong approximations of scalar SDEs defined in a domain

Abstract: We are interested in strong approximations of one-dimensional SDEs which have non-Lipschitz coefficients and which take values in a domain. Under a set of general assumptions we derive an implicit scheme that preserves the domain of the SDEs and is strongly convergent with rate one. Moreover, we show that this general result can be applied to many SDEs we encounter in mathematical finance and bio-mathematics. We will demonstrate flexibility of our approach by analyzing classical examples of SDEs with sublinear coefficients (CIR, CEV models and Wright---Fisher diffusion) and also with superlinear coefficients (3/2-volatility, Ait-Sahalia model). Our goal is to justify an efficient Multilevel Monte Carlo method for a rich family of SDEs, which relies on good strong convergence properties.

Riemann manifold Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods

Abstract: The paper proposes Metropolis adjusted Langevin and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling methods defined on the Riemann manifold to resolve the shortcomings of existing Monte Carlo algorithms when sampling from target densities that may be high dimensional and exhibit strong correlations. The methods provide fully automated adaptation mechanisms that circumvent the costly pilot runs that are required to tune proposal densities for Metropolis-Hastings or indeed Hamiltonian Monte Carlo and Metropolis adjusted Langevin algorithms. This allows for highly efficient sampling even in very high dimensions where different scalings may be required for the transient and stationary phases of the Markov chain. The methodology proposed exploits the Riemann geometry of the parameter space of statistical models and thus automatically adapts to the local structure when simulating paths across this manifold, providing highly efficient convergence and exploration of the target density. The performance of these Riemann manifold Monte Carlo methods is rigorously assessed by performing inference on logistic regression models, log-Gaussian Cox point processes, stochastic volatility models and Bayesian estimation of dynamic systems described by non-linear differential equations. Substantial improvements in the time-normalized effective sample size are reported when compared with alternative sampling approaches. MATLAB code that is available from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/statistics/research/rmhmc allows replication of all the results reported.

Testing Continuous-Time Models of the Spot Interest Rate

Abstract: Different continuous-time models for interest rates coexist in the literature. We test parametric models by comparing their implied parametric density to the same density estimated nonparametrically. We do not replace the continuous-time model by discrete approximations, even though the data are recorded at discrete intervals. The principal source of rejection of existing models is the strong nonlinearity of the drift. Around its mean, where the drift is essentially zero, the spot rate behaves like a random walk. The drift then mean-reverts strongly when far away from the mean. The volatility is higher when away from the mean.

Continuous-time stochastic control and optimization with financial applications / Huyen Pham

Abstract: Stochastic optimization problems arise in decision-making problems under uncertainty, and find various applications in economics and finance. On the other hand, problems in finance have recently led to new developments in the theory of stochastic control. This volume provides a systematic treatment of stochastic optimization problems applied to finance by presenting the different existing methods: dynamic programming, viscosity solutions, backward stochastic differential equations, and martingale duality methods. The theory is discussed in the context of recent developments in this field, with complete and detailed proofs, and is illustrated by means of concrete examples from the world of finance: portfolio allocation, option hedging, real options, optimal investment, etc. This book is directed towards graduate students and researchers in mathematical finance, and will also benefit applied mathematicians interested in financial applications and practitioners wishing to know more about the use of stochastic optimization methods in finance.