A generalized multi-period mean-variance portfolio optimization with Markov switching parameters

In this paper, we deal with a generalized multi-period mean–variance portfolio selection problem with market parameters subject to Markov random regime switchings. Problems of this kind have been recently considered in the literature for control over bankruptcy, for cases in which there are no jumps in market parameters (see [Zhu, S. S., Li, D., & Wang, S. Y. (2004). Risk control over bankruptcy in dynamic portfolio selection: A generalized mean variance formulation. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 49, 447–457]).We present necessary and sufficient conditions for obtaining an optimal control policy for this Markovian generalized multi-period mean–variance problem, based on a set of interconnected Riccati difference equations, and on a set of other recursive equations. Some closed formulas are also derived for two special cases, extending some previous results in the literature. We apply the results to a numerical example with real data for risk control over bankruptcy in a dynamic portfolio selection problem with Markov jumps selection problem. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.