Backward stochastic differential equations associated to jump Markov processes and applications

In this paper we study backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs) driven by the compensated random measure associated to a given pure jump Markov process X on a general state space K. We apply these results to prove well-posedness of a class of nonlinear parabolic differential equations on K, that generalize the Kolmogorov equation of X. Finally we formulate and solve optimal control problems for Markov jump processes, relating the value function and the optimal control law to an appropriate BSDE that also allows to construct probabilistically the unique solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation and to identify it with the value function. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.