4
$\begingroup$

Let $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{F}, \mathbb{P})$ be a filtered probability space, where $\mathbb{F}=\left(\mathcal{F}\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ and $\mathcal{F}=\mathcal{F}_T$. Let $(W_t)_{t\in[0;T]}$ be a Brownian motion with respect to $\mathbb{F}$, in the given probability space.

We have the following theorem (Stochastic Calculus for Finance II, Continuous Time Models, p 212):

Theorem 5.2.3 Let $\left(\Theta_t\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ be an $\mathbb{F}$-adapted process. Define: $$ Z_t=e^{-\int_0^t\Theta_udu-\frac{1}{2}\int_0^t\Theta^2_udW_u} >0, Z:=Z_T $$ $$ \widetilde{W}_t=W_t+\int_0^t\Theta_udu $$ and assume that (this is somehow weaker than Novikov condition): $$ \mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}\left[\int_0^T\Theta^2_uZ^2_udu\right]<+\infty. $$

THEN

  1. $\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z]=1$. (This, along with the fact that $Z:=Z_T\geq 0$ ensure that $Z$ can be a Radon-Nikodym derivative)
  2. Under the probability measure defined by $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}(A)=\int_{A}Z(\omega)d\mathbb{P}(\omega), (\forall)A\in\mathcal{F}$, $\left(\widetilde{W}_t\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ is a standard Brownian motion with respect to filtration $\mathbb{F}$.

QUESTION: With the notation above, knowing only the fact that that $\left(W_t\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ is a Brownian motion in $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{P})$ generating filtration $\mathbb{F}=(\mathcal{F}_t)_{t\in[0;T]}$, that $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{F}, \widetilde{\mathbb{P}})$ is another probability space and that $\mathbb{P}\approx \widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$, does this necessarily imply that the Radon-Nikodym derivative process $\frac{d\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}}{d\mathbb{P}}|_{t}$ must of the form: $$ Z_t=e^{-\int_0^t\Theta_udu-\frac{1}{2}\int_0^t\Theta^2_udW_u} >0, Z:=Z_T $$ where $\left(\Theta_t\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ is some $\mathbb{F}$-adapted process? If this is true, and $\left(\widetilde{W}_t\right)_{t\in[0;T]}$ is a Brownian motion in $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{F}, \widetilde{\mathbb{P}})$, does the above necessarily imply that $\widetilde{W}_t=W_t+\int_0^t\Theta_udu$?

$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ In order to apply the Martingale Representation theorem, the filtration has to be the one generated by the Brownian motion (cf. Shreve). $\endgroup$
    – SN76
    Commented Apr 13, 2020 at 22:26
  • $\begingroup$ I have now rephrased the question and changed the answer slightly to clarify I am only interested in those cases where $\mathbb{F}$ is generated by Brownian motion $W$ $\endgroup$
    – fwd_T
    Commented Apr 14, 2020 at 8:49

1 Answer 1

6
$\begingroup$

The answer is yes.

Proof:

Theorem (Radon-Nikodym) Let $(\Omega, \mathcal{F})$ be a measurable space. Let $\mathbb{P}$ and $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ be two $\sigma$-finite measures. Let $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ be absolutely continuous w.r.t. $\mathbb{P}$ (i.e. $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}\ll\mathbb{P}$). THEN: $(\exists)$ measurable function $f:\Omega\to[0;+\infty)$ such that: $$ \widetilde{\mathbb{P}}(A)=\int_A f(\omega)d\mathbb{P}(\omega), (\forall)A\in\mathcal{F}. $$ $f$ is unique up to indistinguishability, i.e. if there is another $g$ with the same properties as above, then $f=g, \mathbb{P}-a.s.$ (or $\mathbb{P}$-a.e.).

Note that if $\mathbb{P}$ and $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ are equivalent measures (denoted by $\mathbb{P}\approx\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$), then $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}\ll\mathbb{P}$ and $\mathbb{P}\ll\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$.

Let now $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{F}, \mathbb{P})$ be a filtered probability space, where $\mathbb{F}=(\mathcal{F}_t)_{t\geq0}$ is the filtration. We use the Radon-Nikodym theorem to prove the next proposition:

Proposition. Let $\mathbb{P}\approx\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ be two equivalent probability measures on $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}_T)$, a measurable space from the notation above. THEN, $(\exists)$ a strictly positive $(\mathbb{P}, \mathbb{F})$-martingale $(L_t)_{t\geq 0}$ such that $$ \widetilde{\mathbb{P}}(A)=\int_A L_t(\omega)d\mathbb{P}(\omega), (\forall) A\in\mathcal{F}_t, (\forall) t\leq T $$ with the properties that:

  1. $\mathbb{E}_{\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}}[X]=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_tX]$, for all $\mathcal{F}_t$-measurable, non-negative, random variables $X$, when $t\leq T$.
  2. $L_0 = 1$
  3. $\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_t]=1, (\forall) t\leq T$.

Proof: We know from the Radon-Nikodym theorem above that since $\mathbb{P}\approx\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ on $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}_T)$, then there must exist a non-negative, $\mathcal{F}_T$-measurable random variable $Z$ with the property that $$ \widetilde{\mathbb{P}}(A)=\int_AZ(\omega)d\mathbb{P}(\omega), (\forall)A\in\mathcal{F}_T $$ Since we have already assumed that $\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}$ is a probability measure, we have that: $$ \widetilde{\mathbb{P}}(\Omega)=1=\int_{\Omega}Z(\omega)d\mathbb{P}(\omega)=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z]. $$ Since we now know that $\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z]=1$, we can apply (Steve Shreve, Stochastic Calculus for Finance II - Continuous Models, p. 33, Theorem 1.6.1) to reach the conclusion that for any wandom variable $X$ that is a non-negative and $\mathcal{F}_T$-measurable we have: $$ \mathbb{E}_{\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}}[X]=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[ZX]. $$ In particular, for $X=1$ this leads to: $$ \mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z]=1. $$ Let us define $L_t=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z|\mathcal{F}_t]$. Clearly, $(L_t)_{t\geq 0}$ is a $(\mathbb{P}, \mathbb{F})$-martingale because for all $s\leq t$: $$ \mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_t|\mathcal{F}_s]=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[Z|\mathcal{F}_t]|\mathcal{F}_s]= \mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_t|\mathcal{F}_s]=L_s, $$ where the first equality is from the definition of $L_t$, the second inequality is due to the tower law, and the third equality is due to the definition of $L_s$. Taking expectation in the above we get the property that $\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_t]=1, (\forall)t\leq T$. If we take $\mathcal{F}_0=\{\emptyset, \Omega\}$, as is usual, then $L_0$ is deterministic and $L_0=1$. This proves items (2.) and (3.) of the proposition.

We can then use (Steve Shreve, Stochastic Calculus for Finance II - Continuous Models, p. 211, Lemma 5.2.1) to prove item (1.) of the proposition, namely that: $$ \mathbb{E}_{\widetilde{\mathbb{P}}}[X]=\mathbb{E}_{\mathbb{P}}[L_tX],\text{ for all } \mathcal{F}_t\text{-measurable, non-negative, random variables }X,\text{ when }t\leq T. $$ In the above, let us substitute $1_A$ for $X$ and T for t. This proves immediately the rest of the proposition. Note that from this answer, $L_t$ is $\mathbb{P}$-a.s. non-negative.

Also note that we can take $Z$ to be strictly positive since the two measures are equivalent. Therefore, we can also take a version of $L_t$ that is strictly positive and this changes nothing. We will consider in what follows that we use such $L_t$.$$\Box $$

We have constructed above the Radom-Nikodym derivative process $(L_t)_{t\geq 0}$ , which is a $(\mathbb{P}, \mathbb{F})$-martingale. Because $\mathbb{F}$ is generated by $(W_t)_{t\in[0;T]}$ we can apply the martingale representation theorem $\Rightarrow (\exists) (\psi_t)_{t\geq 0}$ an $\mathbb{F}$-measurable process s.t.: $$ L_t=1+\int_0^t \psi_udW_u. $$ or, alternatively, that: $$ dL_t=\psi_tdW_t, L_0=1. $$ Since the Radon-Nikodym derivarive process is strictly positive, using Ito lemma we get: $$ d\log(L_t)=\frac{1}{L_t}dL_t-\frac{1}{2}\frac{1}{L^2_t}d\langle L \rangle_t=\frac{\psi_t}{L_t}dW_t-\frac{1}{2}\frac{\psi^2_t}{L^2_t}dt $$ Since $L_t$ is strictly positive, we can simplify things a bit by introducing $$ \Theta_t=-\frac{\psi_t}{L_t}. $$ This is also an $\mathbb{F}$-adapted process. With this notation, by integrating the result of the application of the Ito lemma and exponentiating we get: $$ L_t=e^{-\int_0^t\Theta_udu-\frac{1}{2}\int_0^t\Theta^2_u dWu}. $$

The result also rests on the uniqueness (up to indistinguishability) of the Radon-Nikodym derivative (in the R-N theorem).

So yes, all changes of measure must be of this form.

$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Quant Stackexchange! $\endgroup$
    – nbbo2
    Commented Apr 13, 2020 at 19:33
  • $\begingroup$ noob2, Thank you! $\endgroup$
    – fwd_T
    Commented Apr 13, 2020 at 21:01
  • $\begingroup$ +1 It might help to simply write dlog(L_t)=psi_t/L_tdW_t - 1/21/L_t^2psi_t^2dt right under your dlog(L_t) equation so its crystal clear where Theta_t is really coming from. $\endgroup$
    – ir7
    Commented Apr 16, 2020 at 1:33
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @ir7 I edited the answer to show the intermediary step. $\endgroup$
    – fwd_T
    Commented Apr 16, 2020 at 17:20

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.