(No-)Betting Pareto Optima Under Rank-Dependent Utility

Patrick Beißner, Tim Boonen, Mario Ghossoub*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In a pure-exchange economy with no aggregate uncertainty, we characterize in closed form and full generality Pareto-optimal allocations between two agents who maximize (nonconcave) rank-dependent utilities (RDU). We then derive a necessary and sufficient condition for Pareto optima to be no-betting allocations (i.e., deterministic allocations or full insurance allocations). This condition depends only on the probability weighting functions of the two agents and not on their (concave) utility of wealth. Hence, with RDU preferences, it is the difference in probabilistic risk attitudes given common beliefs rather than heterogeneity or ambiguity in beliefs that is a driver of betting behavior. As by-product of our analysis, we answer the question of when sunspots matter in this economy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1452-1471
Number of pages20
JournalMathematics of Operations Research
Volume49
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2024

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