We derive representations for optimal martingale measures in a two-factor Markovian model, by seeking ramifications of a distortion power solution (Zariphopoulou (2001)) of the primal utility maximisation problem, for the dual problem. This provides an alternative to existing methods in the literature for characterising optimal measures, and gives new results in the form of a novel representati...

The paper shows that lottery-like stocks are hedges against unexpected increases in market volatility. The loading on the aggregate volatility risk factor explains low returns to stocks with high maximum returns in the past (Bali, Cakici, and Whitelaw, 2011) and high expected skewness (Boyer, Mitton, and Vorkink, 2010). Aggregate volatility risk also explains the new evidence that the maximum e...

We explore the various arguments for and against the recommendation that younger households should invest a larger share of their pension wealth in risky assets. The ability of young agents to compensate their financial losses by saving more during their career provides the strongest argument in favour of younger people investing more aggressively in the stock market. Meanreversion in stock ret...

In this paper we examine whether past returns of the market portfolio (MKT), the size portfolio (SMB), the book-to-market portfolio (HML) and the idiosyncratic volatility portfolio (HIMLI) can predict growth rates of ten major Australian economic indicators from 1993 to 2010. We find that all four factors can be used to predict growth rates in Australian economic indicators. We also find high r...

This paper solves a realistically calibrated life-cycle model of consumption and portfolio choice with uninsurable labor income risk and borrowing constraints. Since labor income substitutes for riskless asset holdings the optimal share invested in equities is roughly decreasing over life. We compute a measure of the importance of non-tradable human capital for investment behavior to find that ...

In a financial market with a continuous price process and proportional transaction costs we investigate the problem of utility maximization of terminal wealth. We give sufficient conditions for the existence of a shadow price process, i.e. a least favorable frictionless market leading to the same optimal strategy and utility as in the original market under transaction costs. The crucial ingredi...

I simulate a life-cycle model with preferences described by a utility function à la Gul and Pesendorfer (2001). I show that temptation to consume contributes to explain the saving, retirement consumption, and asset allocation puzzles. I perform two analyses, excluding or including Social Security protection, separately for the US and Italy. The pension replacement rate is endogenous in the mode...