2020, Bayer, Christian, Belomestny, Denis, Hager, Paul, Pigato, Paolo, Schoenmakers, John G. M., Spokoiny, Vladimir

Least squares Monte Carlo methods are a popular numerical approximation method for solving stochastic control problems. Based on dynamic programming, their key feature is the approximation of the conditional expectation of future rewards by linear least squares regression. Hence, the choice of basis functions is crucial for the accuracy of the method. Earlier work by some of us [Belomestny, Schoenmakers, Spokoiny, Zharkynbay, Commun. Math. Sci., 18(1):109?121, 2020] proposes to reinforce the basis functions in the case of optimal stopping problems by already computed value functions for later times, thereby considerably improving the accuracy with limited additional computational cost. We extend the reinforced regression method to a general class of stochastic control problems, while considerably improving the method?s efficiency, as demonstrated by substantial numerical examples as well as theoretical analysis.

2020, Bayer, Christian, Belomestny, Denis, Hager, Paul, Pigato, Paolo, Schoenmakers, John G. M.

In this paper we study randomized optimal stopping problems and consider corresponding forward and backward Monte Carlo based optimization algorithms. In particular we prove the convergence of the proposed algorithms and derive the corresponding convergence rates.

2020, Bayer, Christian, Harang, Fabian, Pigato, Paolo

We propose a new class of rough stochastic volatility models obtained by modulating the power-law kernel defining the fractional Brownian motion (fBm) by a logarithmic term, such that the kernel retains square integrability even in the limit case of vanishing Hurst index H. The so-obtained log-modulated fractional Brownian motion (log-fBm) is a continuous Gaussian process even for H = 0. As a consequence, the resulting super-rough stochastic volatility models can be analysed over the whole range of Hurst indices between 0 and 1/2, including H = 0, without the need of further normalization. We obtain the usual power law explosion of the skew as maturity T goes to 0, modulated by a logarithmic term, so no flattening of the skew occurs as H goes to 0.