We study a two-dimensional discounted optimal stopping zero-sum (or Dynkin) game related to perpetual redeemable convertible bonds expressed as game (or Israeli) options in a model of financial markets in which the behaviour of the ex-dividend price of a dividend-paying asset follows a generalized geometric Brownian motion. It is assumed that the dynamics of the random dividend rate of the asset paid to shareholders are described by the mean-reverting filtering estimate of an unobservable continuous-time Markov chain with two states. It is shown that the optimal exercise (conversion) and withdrawal (redemption) times forming a Nash equilibrium are the first times at which the asset price hits either lower or upper stochastic boundaries being monotone functions of the running value of the filtering estimate of the state of the chain. We rigorously prove that the optimal stopping boundaries are regular for the stopping region relative to the resulting two-dimensional diffusion process and that the value function is continuously differentiable with respect to the both variables. It is verified by means of a change-of-variable formula with local time on surfaces that the optimal stopping boundaries are determined as a unique solution to the associated coupled system of nonlinear Fredholm integral equations among the couples of continuous functions of bounded variation satisfying certain conditions. We also give a closed-form solution to the appropriate optimal stopping zero-sum game in the corresponding model with an observable continuous-time Markov chain.

Consider the equation

where are linear positive continuous operators and f : C loc(ℝ;ℝ) → L loc(ℝ;ℝ) is a continuous operator satisfying the local Carathéodory conditions. Efficient conditions guaranteeing the existence of a global solution, which is bounded and non-negative in the neighbourhood of –∞, to the equation considered are established provided that ℓ 0, ℓ 1 and f are Volterra-type operators. The existence of a solution that is positive on the whole real line is discussed as well. Furthermore, the asymptotic properties of such solutions are studied in the neighbourhood of –∞. The results are applied to certain models appearing in the natural sciences.

The Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is an efficient method for solving linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equations, differential algebraic equations, partial differential equations, stochastic differential equations, and integral equations. Based on the ADM, a new analytical and numerical treatment is introduced in this research for third-order boundary-value problems. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified by numerical examples.

We study a cell growth model with a division function that models cells which divide only after they have reached a certain minimum size. In contrast to the cases studied in the literature, the determination of the steady size distribution entails an eigenvalue that is not known explicitly, but is defined through a continuity condition. We show that there is a steady size distribution solution to this problem.

This paper deals with a more general class of singularly perturbed boundary valueproblem for a differential-difference equations with small shifts. Inparticular, the numerical study for the problems where second order derivativeis multiplied by a small parameter ε and the shifts depend on thesmall parameter ε has been considered. The fitted-mesh technique isemployed to generate a piecewise-uniform mesh, condensed in the neighborhood ofthe boundary layer. The cubic B-spline basis functions with fitted-mesh areconsidered in the procedure which yield a tridiagonal system which can besolved efficiently by using any well-known algorithm. The stability andparameter-uniform convergence analysis of the proposed method have beendiscussed. The method has been shown to have almost second-orderparameter-uniform convergence. The effect of small parameters on the boundarylayer has also been discussed. To demonstrate the performance of the proposedscheme, several numerical experiments have been carried out.

We study optimal stopping problems related to the pricing of perpetual American options in an extension of the Black-Merton-Scholes model in which the dividend and volatility rates of the underlying risky asset depend on the running values of its maximum and maximum drawdown. The optimal stopping times of the exercise are shown to be the first times at which the price of the underlying asset exits some regions restricted by certain boundaries depending on the running values of the associated maximum and maximum drawdown processes. We obtain closed-form solutions to the equivalent free-boundary problems for the value functions with smooth fit at the optimal stopping boundaries and normal reflection at the edges of the state space of the resulting three-dimensional Markov process. We derive first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the optimal exercise boundaries of the perpetual American standard options.

We study the Bayesian problems of detecting a change in the drift rate of an observable diffusion process with linear and exponential penalty costs for a detection delay. The optimal times of alarms are found as the first times at which the weighted likelihood ratios hit stochastic boundaries depending on the current observations. The proof is based on the reduction of the initial problems into appropriate three-dimensional optimal stopping problems and the analysis of the associated parabolic-type free-boundary problems. We provide closed-form estimates for the value functions and the boundaries, under certain nontrivial relations between the coefficients of the observable diffusion.

This paper is concerned with a boundary-value problem on the half-line for nonlinear two-dimensional delay differential systems with positive delays. A theorem is established, which provides sufficient conditions for the existence of positive solutions. The application of this theorem to the special case of second-order nonlinear delay differential equations is given. Also, the application of the theorem to two-dimensional Emden–Fowler-type delay differential systems with constant delays is presented. Moreover, some general examples demonstrating the applicability of the theorem are included.

A class of first-order impulsive functional differential equations with forcing terms is considered. It is shown that, under certain assumptions, there exist positive T-periodic solutions, and under some other assumptions, there exists no positive T-periodic solution. Applications and examples are given to illustrate the main results.

Some new Gronwall–Ou-Iang type integral inequalities in two independent variables are established. We also present some of its application to the study of certain classes of integral and differential equations.

In this paper we present closed form solutions of some discounted optimal stopping problems for the maximum process in a model driven by a Brownian motion and a compound Poisson process with exponential jumps. The method of proof is based on reducing the initial problems to integro-differential free-boundary problems, where the normal-reflection and smooth-fit conditions may break down and the latter then replaced by the continuous-fit condition. We show that, under certain relationships on the parameters of the model, the optimal stopping boundary can be uniquely determined as a component of the solution of a two-dimensional system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The obtained results can be interpreted as pricing perpetual American lookback options with fixed and floating strikes in a jump-diffusion model.

Existence principles are given for systems of differential equations with reflection of the argument. These are derived using fixed point analysis, specifically the Nonlinear Alternative. Then existence results are deduced for certain classes of first and second order equations with reflection of the argument.

The usual method of dealing with delay differential equations such as

is the method of steps [1, 2]. In this, y(x) is assumed to be known for − α < x < 0, thereby defining over 0 < x < α. As a result of integration, the value of y is now known over 0 < x < α, and the integration proceeds thereon by a succession of steps.