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Rev Fin 2002; 15:805-835
© 2002 the Society for Financial Studies
Optimal Portfolio Selection with Transaction Costs and Finite Horizons
Hong Liu, Washington University
Mark Loewenstein, Boston University
Address correspondence to Hong Liu, Olin School of Business, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, or e-mail: liuh{at}olin.wustl.edu or loewenst{at}bu.edu
Abstract
We examine the optimal trading strategy for a CRRA investor who maximizes the expected utility of wealth on a finite date and faces transaction costs. Closed-form solutions are obtained when this date is uncertain. We then show a sequence of analytical solutions converge to the solution to the problem with a deterministic finite horizon. Consistent with the common life-cycle investment advice, the optimal trading strategy is found to be horizon dependent and largely buy and hold. Moreover, it might be optimal for the investor in our model not to buy any stock, even when the risk premium is positive. Further analysis of the optimal policy is also provided.