Testing for Regime Switching

We analyze use of a quasi‐likelihood ratio statistic for a mixture model to test the null hypothesis of one regime versus the alternative of two regimes in a Markov regime‐switching context. This test exploits mixture properties implied by the regime‐switching process, but ignores certain implied serial correlation properties. When formulated in the natural way, the setting is nonstandard, involving nuisance parameters on the boundary of the parameter space, nuisance parameters identified only under the alternative, or approximations using derivatives higher than second order. We exploit recent advances by Andrews (2001) and contribute to the literature by extending the scope of mixture models, obtaining asymptotic null distributions different from those in the literature. We further provide critical values for popular models or bounds for tail probabilities that are useful in constructing conservative critical values for regime‐switching tests. We compare the size and power of our statistics to other useful tests for regime switching via Monte Carlo methods and find relatively good performance. We apply our methods to reexamine the classic cartel study of Porter (1983) and reaffirm Porter's findings.     

基于马尔可夫状态转换模型的沪深股市波动率的估计

为了更准确地估计具有结构转换的沪深股市收益率波动特征,本文将沪深股市的波动变化分为上涨、下跌和盘整三个状态,选用2000年1月4日至2011年12月30日的上证综指和深证成指日收益率数据作为样本,2012年1月4日至2012年1月17日的日收益率作为样本外预测,分别应用GARCH和APGARCH模型,以及RS-GARCH和RS-APGARCH模型估计和预测两序列的波动率,最后采用MSE₁、MSE₂和QLIKE对估计和预测出的波动率进行评价。结果表明:单一状态和三种状态下APGARCH模型均比GARCH模型估计和预测的波动率更准确;更进一步带有马尔可夫状态转换的模型估计和预测出的波动率更准确,且误差分布服从正态分布的模型估计和预测的波动率拟合结果优于误差服从t分布的模型。     

Strict Stationarity Testing and Estimation of Explosive and Stationary Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity Models

This paper studies the asymptotic properties of the quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator of (generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity) GARCH(1, 1) models without strict stationarity constraints and considers applications to testing problems. The estimator is unrestricted in the sense that the value of the intercept, which cannot be consistently estimated in the explosive case, is not fixed. A specific behavior of the estimator of the GARCH coefficients is obtained at the boundary of the stationarity region, but, except for the intercept, this estimator remains consistent and asymptotically normal in every situation. The asymptotic variance is different in the stationary and nonstationary situations, but is consistently estimated with the same estimator in both cases. Tests of strict stationarity and nonstationarity are proposed. The tests developed for the classical GARCH(1, 1) model are able to detect nonstationarity in more general GARCH models. A numerical illustration based on stock indices and individual stock returns is proposed.     

基于马尔科夫状态转移模型的股指收益率研究

金融资产收益率的分布是金融资产投资和风险管理等应用中的重要决定因素。针对经济和金融的潜在状态改变可能引起金融资产收益率分布结构性变化的现实情况,提出考虑收益率分布的时变性,将马尔科夫状态转移结构应用于中国股票指数对数收益率分布的建模,并提出使用混合正态分布模型刻画股指收益率在各状态的分布,建立隐马尔科夫状态转移-混合正态分布(HMS-MND)模型,使用期望最大化算法(E-M算法)和Baum-Welch算法给出模型的参数估计,采用2002年7月1日至2010年10月29日沪深两市11种主要股票指数的对数日、周收益率作为实证数据。模型参数估计和似然比检验结果表明,大部分股票指数收益率的分布中都存在显著的马尔科夫状态转移结构,且HMS-MND模型可以较好地刻画对数收益率分布的高阶矩统计特征。因此,引入马尔科夫状态转移结构对股指收益率的相关研究具有重要意义。     

Asymptotic Distributions of Quasi‐Maximum Likelihood Estimators for Spatial Autoregressive Models

This paper investigates asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimator and the quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator for the spatial autoregressive model. The rates of convergence of those estimators may depend on some general features of the spatial weights matrix of the model. It is important to make the distinction with different spatial scenarios. Under the scenario that each unit will be influenced by only a few neighboring units, the estimators may have ‐rate of convergence and be asymptotically normal. When each unit can be influenced by many neighbors, irregularity of the information matrix may occur and various components of the estimators may have different rates of convergence.     

Sequential Estimation of Dynamic Discrete Games: A Comment

Recursive procedures which are based on iterating on the best response mapping have difficulties converging to all equilibria in multi‐player games. We illustrate these difficulties by revisiting the asymptotic properties of the iterative nested pseudo maximum likelihood method for estimating dynamic games introduced by Aguirregabiria and Mira (2007). An example shows that the iterative method may not be consistent.     

Swapping the Nested Fixed Point Algorithm: A Class of Estimators for Discrete Markov Decision Models

This paper proposes a new nested algorithm (NPL) for the estimation of a class of discrete Markov decision models and studies its statistical and computational properties. Our method is based on a representation of the solution of the dynamic programming problem in the space of conditional choice probabilities. When the NPL algorithm is initialized with consistent nonparametric estimates of conditional choice probabilities, successive iterations return a sequence of estimators of the structural parameters which we call K–stage policy iteration estimators. We show that the sequence includes as extreme cases a Hotz–Miller estimator (for K=1) and Rust's nested fixed point estimator (in the limit when K→∞). Furthermore, the asymptotic distribution of all the estimators in the sequence is the same and equal to that of the maximum likelihood estimator. We illustrate the performance of our method with several examples based on Rust's bus replacement model. Monte Carlo experiments reveal a trade–off between finite sample precision and computational cost in the sequence of policy iteration estimators.     

隐Markov链驱动关联性和波动性的传染分析

本文将隐Markov链对波动性和相关性的驱动分析引入DCC多元GARCH,对波动和相关分析建立起了直接的联系,进而考察次贷危机、欧洲债务危机在主要证券市场间的传染性。研究发现,高波动高相关机制为联动性提供了一种直接的表述方式,且这一机制在危机期间处于支配地位;次贷危机、欧洲债务危机具有传染性,传染期以区间的形式出现,且危机初期的市场在各机制间有较为频繁的转换,不可根据危机事件对样本进行武断地分割;同时,危机的传染在所考察的市场之间具有系统性,应对危机需要各国政策间的协调配合;另外,有证据显示美国次贷市场在2006年年中已显现出问题,有关国家贻误了深入分析和应对危机的时机。     

基于前景理论的跨市场状态转移多阶段资产配置研究

在行为金融前景理论框架下研究跨市场间的状态转移资产配置问题,构建隐Markov——混合正态分布模型描述股票、债券和商品混合市场间的状态特征,用Baum-Welch算法估计模型参数,并利用状态转移思想进行情景生成建立多阶段随机优化模型。进一步,以我国股票、债券和商品混合市场的实际数据为背景,利用滚动窗口方法实证分析基于状态转移的多阶段随机模型的表现,并与忽略状态转移特征的基准模型、等权重组合、沪深300指数的结果进行对比。结果表明,与其他组合相比,基于状态转移的投资组合有助于规避风险,且混合市场间的状态转移信息能够对前景理论投资者的最优投资决策产生影响。     

Asymptotic Normality of the QMLE Estimator of ARCH in the Nonstationary Case

We establish consistency and asymptotic normality of the quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator in the linear ARCH model. Contrary to the existing literature, we allow the parameters to be in the region where no stationary version of the process exists. This implies that the estimator is always asymptotically normal.     

我国通货膨胀率的动态波动机制及政策启示

本文应用Markov区制转移模型研究了1987-2008年2月我国通货膨胀率的动态波动路径。研究结果表明,我国通货膨胀波动存在显著的三区制特征:低通胀区制、温和通胀区制和高通胀区制。同时,得到了以下结论:(1)我国的通货膨胀在大部分时期都处于低通胀或温和通胀区制;(2)我国的通胀惯性在低通胀区制较低,在温和通胀和高通胀区制较高(接近于1),因此我国的经济政策应具有前瞻性;(3)三区制Markov区制转移模型能较好地刻画我国近20年来的高通胀事件,因此本模型也可以用于通胀预警机制的研究。     

Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Discretely Sampled Diffusions: A Closed‐form Approximation Approach

When a continuous‐time diffusion is observed only at discrete dates, in most cases the transition distribution and hence the likelihood function of the observations is not explicitly computable. Using Hermite polynomials, I construct an explicit sequence of closed‐form functions and show that it converges to the true (but unknown) likelihood function. I document that the approximation is very accurate and prove that maximizing the sequence results in an estimator that converges to the true maximum likelihood estimator and shares its asymptotic properties. Monte Carlo evidence reveals that this method outperforms other approximation schemes in situations relevant for financial models.     

Risk of Bayesian Inference in Misspecified Models,and the Sandwich Covariance Matrix

It is well known that, in misspecified parametric models, the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) is consistent for the pseudo‐true value and has an asymptotically normal sampling distribution with “sandwich” covariance matrix. Also, posteriors are asymptotically centered at the MLE, normal, and of asymptotic variance that is, in general, different than the sandwich matrix. It is shown that due to this discrepancy, Bayesian inference about the pseudo‐true parameter value is, in general, of lower asymptotic frequentist risk when the original posterior is substituted by an artificial normal posterior centered at the MLE with sandwich covariance matrix. An algorithm is suggested that allows the implementation of this artificial posterior also in models with high dimensional nuisance parameters which cannot reasonably be estimated by maximizing the likelihood.     

A Comparison of Three Methods for Calculating Confidence Intervals for the Benchmark Dose

Various methods exist to calculate confidence intervals for the benchmark dose in risk analysis. This study compares the performance of three such methods in fitting nonlinear dose-response models: the delta method, the likelihood-ratio method, and the bootstrap method. A data set from a developmental toxicity test with continuous, ordinal, and quantal dose-response data is used for the comparison of these methods. Nonlinear dose-response models, with various shapes, were fitted to these data. The results indicate that a few thousand runs are generally needed to get stable confidence limits when using the bootstrap method. Further, the bootstrap and the likelihood-ratio method were found to give fairly similar results. The delta method, however, resulted in some cases in different (usually narrower) intervals, and appears unreliable for nonlinear dose-response models. Since the bootstrap method is more time consuming than the likelihood-ratio method, the latter is more attractive for routine dose-response analysis. In the context of a probabilistic risk assessment the bootstrap method has the advantage that it directly links to Monte Carlo analysis.     

复杂技术系统背景下技术体制新解

在解释技术体制、技术范式和技术轨迹间的关系,并指出原有技术体制在复杂技术系统下存在的缺陷的基础上,引入技术场网络作为技术体制的新维度,解释复杂技术系统中技术场网络主体间的技术联系,并区分了这种技术联系的强弱,讨论了技术体制的新维度与原有维度间的关系,提出了相应的假设。     

Likelihood Inference for Discretely Observed Nonlinear Diffusions

This paper is concerned with the Bayesian estimation of nonlinear stochastic differential equations when observations are discretely sampled. The estimation framework relies on the introduction of latent auxiliary data to complete the missing diffusion between each pair of measurements. Tuned Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods based on the Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm, in conjunction with the Euler‐Maruyama discretization scheme, are used to sample the posterior distribution of the latent data and the model parameters. Techniques for computing the likelihood function, the marginal likelihood, and diagnostic measures (all based on the MCMC output) are developed. Examples using simulated and real data are presented and discussed in detail.     

Prioritizing and Monitoring Concurrent Project Work: Effects on Switching Behavior

Project switching occurs when a multi‐project worker shifts his/her attention from one project to another before completing the first project. In this study, we study the effects of two areas of management policy on project switching behavior, project prioritization, and work monitoring. We conduct a controlled experiment to evaluate direct and combined effects of prioritization, scheduled progress checks, and managerial progress checks on project switching behavior in a distributed, multi‐project work environment. We use computerized tasks constituting multiple projects as a means of efficiently simulating a project work setting. Working professionals served as subjects for the experiment, thereby enabling us to control for experience and other individual differences that may vary across workers in real‐world projects. We find that clarifying priorities has little overall effect on the prevalence of switching in our multi‐project setting, while the presence of managerial progress checks has significant and distinct impacts, driving up switch tendencies. Interestingly, various attributes of the timing of these monitoring events also significantly impact the likelihood that workers will switch in response to these event triggers. We discuss the implications of these findings for managerial practice and for future research.     

基于马尔科夫切换模型的上证指数周收益率时间序列分析

本文先对上证指数收益率时间序列做非线性检测,再对时间序列进行结构性变化检测,发现上证指数收益序列既是非线性时间序列又有结构性变化;通过构建一个3状态,3阶滞后的异方差马尔可夫切换模型对1990年12月21日至2008年8月22日上证指数周收益率时间序列规律进行了实证分析,采用极大似然估计法对模型参数进行估计,识别出股市波动的三种主要的状态:慢涨、慢跌和快涨;实证结果表明马尔可夫切换模型能够比较有效的刻画股市波动的阶段性特征.     

Development of a Dose‐Response Model for SARS Coronavirus

In order to develop a dose‐response model for SARS coronavirus (SARS‐CoV), the pooled data sets for infection of transgenic mice susceptible to SARS‐CoV and infection of mice with murine hepatitis virus strain 1, which may be a clinically relevant model of SARS, were fit to beta‐Poisson and exponential models with the maximum likelihood method. The exponential model (k= 4.1 × l0²) could describe the dose‐response relationship of the pooled data sets. The beta‐Poisson model did not provide a statistically significant improvement in fit. With the exponential model, the infectivity of SARS‐CoV was calculated and compared with those of other coronaviruses. The does of SARS‐CoV corresponding to 10% and 50% responses (illness) were estimated at 43 and 280 PFU, respectively. Its estimated infectivity was comparable to that of HCoV‐229E, known as an agent of human common cold, and also similar to those of some animal coronaviruses belonging to the same genetic group. Moreover, the exponential model was applied to the analysis of the epidemiological data of SARS outbreak that occurred at an apartment complex in Hong Kong in 2003. The estimated dose of SARS‐CoV for apartment residents during the outbreak, which was back‐calculated from the reported number of cases, ranged from 16 to 160 PFU/person, depending on the floor. The exponential model developed here is the sole dose‐response model for SARS‐CoV at the present and would enable us to understand the possibility for reemergence of SARS.