Predictable forward performance processes: Infrequent evaluation and applications to human-machine interactions

Abstract

We study discrete-time predictable forward processes when trading times do not coincide with performance evaluation times in a binomial tree model for the financial market. The key step in the construction of these processes is to solve a linear functional equation of higher order associated with the inverse problem driving the evolution of the predictable forward process. We provide sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness and an explicit construction of the predictable forward process under these conditions. Furthermore, we find that these processes are inherently myopic in the sense that optimal strategies do not make use of future model parameters even if these are known. Finally, we argue that predictable forward preferences are a viable framework to model human-machine interactions occurring in automated trading or robo-advising. For both applications, we determine an optimal interaction schedule of a human agent interacting infrequently with a machine that is in charge of trading.