Mean-Variance Hedging with Uncertain Trade Execution

This paper studies a hedging problem of a contingent claim in a discrete time model. The contingent claim is hedged by one illiquid risky asset and the hedging error is measured by a quadratic criterion. In our model, trade does not always succeed and then trade times are not only discrete, but also random. The uncertainty of trade execution represents the liquidity risk. First we find an optimal hedging strategy with fixed initial condition. Next we consider an optimal initial condition. Finally, we study a binomial model as a simple example.