Increasing risk: Dynamic mean-preserving spreads

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Mathematical Economics
Year: 2020
Volume: 86
Issue: C
Pages: 69-82

Authors (3)

Arcand, Jean-Louis (The Graduate Institute of Inte...) Hongler, Max-Olivier (not in RePEc) Rinaldo, Daniele (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We extend the celebrated Rothschild and Stiglitz (1970) definition of Mean-Preserving Spreads to a dynamic framework. We adapt the original integral conditions to transition probability densities, and give sufficient conditions for their satisfaction. We then focus on a class of nonlinear scalar diffusion processes, the super-diffusive ballistic process, and prove that it satisfies the integral conditions. We further prove that this class is unique among Brownian bridges. This class of processes can be generated by a random superposition of linear Markov processes with constant drifts. This exceptionally simple representation enables us to systematically revisit, by means of the properties of dynamic mean-preserving spreads, workhorse economic models originally based on White Gaussian Noise. A selection of four examples is presented and explicitly solved.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:mateco:v:86:y:2020:i:c:p:69-82
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-24