Non-Equivalence of Stochastic Optimal Control Problems with Open and Closed Loop Controls

Abstract

For an optimal control problem of an It\^o's type stochastic differential equation, the control process could be taken as open-loop or closed-loop forms. In the standard literature, provided appropriate regularity, the value functions under these two types of controls are equal and are the unique (viscosity) solution to the corresponding (path-dependent) HJB equation. In this short note, we provide a counterexample in the path dependent setting showing that these value functions can be different in general.