Quantile Regression under Misspecification,with an Application to the U.S. Wage Structure

Quantile regression (QR) fits a linear model for conditional quantiles just as ordinary least squares (OLS) fits a linear model for conditional means. An attractive feature of OLS is that it gives the minimum mean‐squared error linear approximation to the conditional expectation function even when the linear model is misspecified. Empirical research using quantile regression with discrete covariates suggests that QR may have a similar property, but the exact nature of the linear approximation has remained elusive. In this paper, we show that QR minimizes a weighted mean‐squared error loss function for specification error. The weighting function is an average density of the dependent variable near the true conditional quantile. The weighted least squares interpretation of QR is used to derive an omitted variables bias formula and a partial quantile regression concept, similar to the relationship between partial regression and OLS. We also present asymptotic theory for the QR process under misspecification of the conditional quantile function. The approximation properties of QR are illustrated using wage data from the U.S. census. These results point to major changes in inequality from 1990 to 2000.     

Quantile and Probability Curves Without Crossing

This paper proposes a method to address the longstanding problem of lack of monotonicity in estimation of conditional and structural quantile functions, also known as the quantile crossing problem (Bassett and Koenker (1982)). The method consists in sorting or monotone rearranging the original estimated non‐monotone curve into a monotone rearranged curve. We show that the rearranged curve is closer to the true quantile curve than the original curve in finite samples, establish a functional delta method for rearrangement‐related operators, and derive functional limit theory for the entire rearranged curve and its functionals. We also establish validity of the bootstrap for estimating the limit law of the entire rearranged curve and its functionals. Our limit results are generic in that they apply to every estimator of a monotone function, provided that the estimator satisfies a functional central limit theorem and the function satisfies some smoothness conditions. Consequently, our results apply to estimation of other econometric functions with monotonicity restrictions, such as demand, production, distribution, and structural distribution functions. We illustrate the results with an application to estimation of structural distribution and quantile functions using data on Vietnam veteran status and earnings.     

Identification in Nonseparable Models

Weak nonparametric restrictions are developed, sufficient to identify the values of derivatives of structural functions in which latent random variables are nonseparable. These derivatives can exhibit stochastic variation. In a microeconometric context this allows the impact of a policy intervention, as measured by the value of a structural derivative, to vary across people who are identical as measured by covariates. When the restrictions are satisfied quantiles of the distribution of a policy impact across people can be identified. The identification restrictions are local in the sense that they are specific to the values of the covariates and the specific quantiles of latent variables at which identification is sought. The conditions do not include the commonly required independence of latent variables and covariates. They include local versions of the classical rank and order conditions and local quantile insensitivity conditions. Values of structural derivatives are identified by functionals of quantile regression functions and can be estimated using the same functionals applied to estimated quantile regression functions.     

Sieve Wald and QLR Inferences on Semi/Nonparametric Conditional Moment Models

This paper considers inference on functionals of semi/nonparametric conditional moment restrictions with possibly nonsmooth generalized residuals, which include all of the (nonlinear) nonparametric instrumental variables (IV) as special cases. These models are often ill‐posed and hence it is difficult to verify whether a (possibly nonlinear) functional is root‐n estimable or not. We provide computationally simple, unified inference procedures that are asymptotically valid regardless of whether a functional is root‐n estimable or not. We establish the following new useful results: (1) the asymptotic normality of a plug‐in penalized sieve minimum distance (PSMD) estimator of a (possibly nonlinear) functional; (2) the consistency of simple sieve variance estimators for the plug‐in PSMD estimator, and hence the asymptotic chi‐square distribution of the sieve Wald statistic; (3) the asymptotic chi‐square distribution of an optimally weighted sieve quasi likelihood ratio (QLR) test under the null hypothesis; (4) the asymptotic tight distribution of a non‐optimally weighted sieve QLR statistic under the null; (5) the consistency of generalized residual bootstrap sieve Wald and QLR tests; (6) local power properties of sieve Wald and QLR tests and of their bootstrap versions; (7) asymptotic properties of sieve Wald and SQLR for functionals of increasing dimension. Simulation studies and an empirical illustration of a nonparametric quantile IV regression are presented.     

Instrumental Variables Estimates of the Effect of Subsidized Training on the Quantiles of Trainee Earnings

This paper reports estimates of the effects of JTPA training programs on the distribution of earnings. The estimation uses a new instrumental variable (IV) method that measures program impacts on quantiles. The quantile treatment effects (QTE) estimator reduces to quantile regression when selection for treatment is exogenously determined. QTE can be computed as the solution to a convex linear programming problem, although this requires first‐step estimation of a nuisance function. We develop distribution theory for the case where the first step is estimated nonparametrically. For women, the empirical results show that the JTPA program had the largest proportional impact at low quantiles. Perhaps surprisingly, however, JTPA training raised the quantiles of earnings for men only in the upper half of the trainee earnings distribution.     

指令不均衡与股票收益关系研究——基于大规模数据分位数回归的实证

在指令不均衡与股票收益关系研究中,常常遇到两个困难：第一,不同市场环境下,前者对后者存在异质影响;第二,往往涉及大规模数据处理。为此,运用大规模数据分位数回归的方法,一方面揭示不同分位点处指令不均衡对股票收益的异质影响,细致刻画两者之间关系;另一方面适应大规模数据建模要求,得到更为可靠的结果。以上证A股和深证A股为研究对象,通过大规模数据分位数回归方法,得到了比均值回归更多有用信息。实证结果表明：第一,在高分位点处,滞后1期指令不均衡对股票收益具有正向影响且呈现上升趋势,而在低分位点却具有负向影响;第二,控制当期指令不均衡后,滞后期指令不均衡对股票收益具有负向影响,且随着分位点的增加呈现下降趋势。这些结果意味着,指令不均衡对股票收益具有一定的解释能力和预测能力。     

An IV Model of Quantile Treatment Effects

The ability of quantile regression models to characterize the heterogeneous impact of variables on different points of an outcome distribution makes them appealing in many economic applications. However, in observational studies, the variables of interest (e.g., education, prices) are often endogenous, making conventional quantile regression inconsistent and hence inappropriate for recovering the causal effects of these variables on the quantiles of economic outcomes. In order to address this problem, we develop a model of quantile treatment effects (QTE) in the presence of endogeneity and obtain conditions for identification of the QTE without functional form assumptions. The principal feature of the model is the imposition of conditions that restrict the evolution of ranks across treatment states. This feature allows us to overcome the endogeneity problem and recover the true QTE through the use of instrumental variables. The proposed model can also be equivalently viewed as a structural simultaneous equation model with nonadditive errors, where QTE can be interpreted as the structural quantile effects (SQE).     

Estimation of Nonparametric Conditional Moment Models With Possibly Nonsmooth Generalized Residuals

This paper studies nonparametric estimation of conditional moment restrictions in which the generalized residual functions can be nonsmooth in the unknown functions of endogenous variables. This is a nonparametric nonlinear instrumental variables (IV) problem. We propose a class of penalized sieve minimum distance (PSMD) estimators, which are minimizers of a penalized empirical minimum distance criterion over a collection of sieve spaces that are dense in the infinite‐dimensional function parameter space. Some of the PSMD procedures use slowly growing finite‐dimensional sieves with flexible penalties or without any penalty; others use large dimensional sieves with lower semicompact and/or convex penalties. We establish their consistency and the convergence rates in Banach space norms (such as a sup‐norm or a root mean squared norm), allowing for possibly noncompact infinite‐dimensional parameter spaces. For both mildly and severely ill‐posed nonlinear inverse problems, our convergence rates in Hilbert space norms (such as a root mean squared norm) achieve the known minimax optimal rate for the nonparametric mean IV regression. We illustrate the theory with a nonparametric additive quantile IV regression. We present a simulation study and an empirical application of estimating nonparametric quantile IV Engel curves.     

Nonparametric Tree‐Based Predictive Modeling of Storm Outages on an Electric Distribution Network

This article compares two nonparametric tree‐based models, quantile regression forests (QRF) and Bayesian additive regression trees (BART), for predicting storm outages on an electric distribution network in Connecticut, USA. We evaluated point estimates and prediction intervals of outage predictions for both models using high‐resolution weather, infrastructure, and land use data for 89 storm events (including hurricanes, blizzards, and thunderstorms). We found that spatially BART predicted more accurate point estimates than QRF. However, QRF produced better prediction intervals for high spatial resolutions (2‐km grid cells and towns), while BART predictions aggregated to coarser resolutions (divisions and service territory) more effectively. We also found that the predictive accuracy was dependent on the season (e.g., tree‐leaf condition, storm characteristics), and that the predictions were most accurate for winter storms. Given the merits of each individual model, we suggest that BART and QRF be implemented together to show the complete picture of a storm's potential impact on the electric distribution network, which would allow for a utility to make better decisions about allocating prestorm resources.     

我国金融机构的系统性金融风险评估——基于极端分位数回归技术的风险度量

本文将极值理论引入到系统性金融风险度量中,通过极端分位数回归技术估计我国33家上市金融机构对金融系统整体的风险贡献,并识别出我国系统重要性金融机构。研究结果表明,我国金融机构的市场价值总资产收益率呈现明显的非正态分布特征,使用极端分位数回归技术可以更准确的度量尾部的风险联动性;银行类金融机构的系统性风险贡献水平最高且波动变化最大,系统性风险贡献排名前十的金融机构基本为银行类机构;证券类、保险类、信托类金融机构的风险贡献水平相对较低;通过与其他研究的对比发现,考虑到极端情形下的尾部风险联动性时,股份制商业银行对金融系统的风险贡献上升。本文的研究为系统重要性金融机构的宏观审慎监管提供了实证依据。     

Unconditional Quantile Regressions

We propose a new regression method to evaluate the impact of changes in the distribution of the explanatory variables on quantiles of the unconditional (marginal) distribution of an outcome variable. The proposed method consists of running a regression of the (recentered) influence function (RIF) of the unconditional quantile on the explanatory variables. The influence function, a widely used tool in robust estimation, is easily computed for quantiles, as well as for other distributional statistics. Our approach, thus, can be readily generalized to other distributional statistics.     

Quantile Selection Models With an Application to Understanding Changes in Wage Inequality

We propose a method to correct for sample selection in quantile regression models. Selection is modeled via the cumulative distribution function, or copula, of the percentile error in the outcome equation and the error in the participation decision. Copula parameters are estimated by minimizing a method‐of‐moments criterion. Given these parameter estimates, the percentile levels of the outcome are readjusted to correct for selection, and quantile parameters are estimated by minimizing a rotated “check” function. We apply the method to correct wage percentiles for selection into employment, using data for the UK for the period 1978–2000. We also extend the method to account for the presence of equilibrium effects when performing counterfactual exercises.     

基于非线性分位数回归模型的多期VaR风险测度

多期VaR主要受到持有期及波动率两个变量的影响,并且其影响模式(线性或非线性)的确定对于准确地进行VaR风险测度至关重要。非线性分位数回归模型,能够克服线性分位数回归模型只能揭示多期VaR及其影响因素之间线性依赖关系的局限,从而提高多期VaR风险测度的准确性。结合波动模型与两个非线性分位数回归方法:QRNN和SVQR,给出了多期VaR风险测度的三类方案:波动模型法、QRNN+波动模型法、SVQR+波动模型法。选取3个股票价格指数作为研究对象,考虑了6种不同形式的波动模型,得到了18个多期VaR风险测度方法进行实证比较,结果表明:波动模型选择影响到多期VaR风险测度效果;SVQR+波动模型法略优于QRNN+波动模型法,并且两者显著优于波动模型法。     

Identifying Treatment Effects Under Data Combination

We consider the identification of counterfactual distributions and treatment effects when the outcome variables and conditioning covariates are observed in separate data sets. Under the standard selection on observables assumption, the counterfactual distributions and treatment effect parameters are no longer point identified. However, applying the classical monotone rearrangement inequality, we derive sharp bounds on the counterfactual distributions and policy parameters of interest.     

基于MIDAS分位数回归的条件偏度组合投资决策

条件偏度是金融市场典型特征之一，忽略条件偏度的组合投资决策往往难以有效地分散金融风险。为此，本文构建了包含条件偏度的组合投资模型，并给出其建模方法。首先，运用MIDAS-QR模型，改善条件偏度测度效果；其次，基于CRRA效用函数，将组合投资权重设计为条件偏度和特征变量的线性组合，建立组合投资模型并给出求解方案；最后，从沪深300指数中选取10支代表性成分股进行实证研究，从收益、风险和Sharpe比率等方面，将包含条件偏度的组合投资模型与等权方案、均值-方差模型等进行比较，分析条件偏度在组合投资中的作用。实证结果表明：MIDAS-QR是测度条件偏度的有效方法，其测度结果受异常值影响小，表现稳定；条件偏度对组合投资决策具有显著影响，包含条件偏度的组合投资模型能够有效地降低投资风险、带来更高的风险调整收益。     

Nonparametric Instrumental Variable Estimation of Structural Quantile Effects

We study the asymptotic distribution of Tikhonov regularized estimation of quantile structural effects implied by a nonseparable model. The nonparametric instrumental variable estimator is based on a minimum distance principle. We show that the minimum distance problem without regularization is locally ill‐posed, and we consider penalization by the norms of the parameter and its derivatives. We derive pointwise asymptotic normality and develop a consistent estimator of the asymptotic variance. We study the small sample properties via simulation results and provide an empirical illustration of estimation of nonlinear pricing curves for telecommunications services in the United States.     

加权复合分位数回归方法在动态VaR风险度量中的应用

风险价值(VaR)因为简单直观,成为了当今国际上最主流的风险度量方法之一,而基于时间序列自回归(AR)模型来计算无条件风险度量值在实业界有广泛应用。本文基于分位数回归理论对AR模型提出了一个估计方法--加权复合分位数回归(WCQR)估计,该方法可以充分利用多个分位数信息提高参数估计的效率,并且对于不同的分位数回归赋予不同的权重,使得估计更加有效,文中给出了该估计的渐近正态性质。有限样本的数值模拟表明,当残差服从非正态分布时,WCQR估计的的统计性质接近于极大似然估计,而该估计是不需要知道残差分布的,因此,所提出的WCQR估计更加具有竞争力。此方法在预测资产收益的VaR动态风险时有较好的应用,我们将所提出的理论分析了我国九只封闭式基金,实证分析发现,结合WCQR方法求得的VaR风险与用非参数方法求得的VaR风险非常接近,而结合WCQR方法可以计算动态的VaR风险值和预测资产收益的VaR风险值。     

Inference on the Quantile Regression Process

Tests based on the quantile regression process can be formulated like the classical Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Cramér–von–Mises tests of goodness–of–fit employing the theory of Bessel processes as in Kiefer (1959). However, it is frequently desirable to formulate hypotheses involving unknown nuisance parameters, thereby jeopardizing the distribution free character of these tests. We characterize this situation as “the Durbin problem” since it was posed in Durbin (1973), for parametric empirical processes. In this paper we consider an approach to the Durbin problem involving a martingale transformation of the parametric empirical process suggested by Khmaladze (1981) and show that it can be adapted to a wide variety of inference problems involving the quantile regression process. In particular, we suggest new tests of the location shift and location–scale shift models that underlie much of classical econometric inference. The methods are illustrated with a reanalysis of data on unemployment durations from the Pennsylvania Reemployment Bonus Experiments. The Pennsylvania experiments, conducted in 1988–89, were designed to test the efficacy of cash bonuses paid for early reemployment in shortening the duration of insured unemployment spells.     

IV Quantile Regression for Group‐Level Treatments,With an Application to the Distributional Effects of Trade

We present a methodology for estimating the distributional effects of an endogenous treatment that varies at the group level when there are group‐level unobservables, a quantile extension of Hausman and Taylor, 1981. Because of the presence of group‐level unobservables, standard quantile regression techniques are inconsistent in our setting even if the treatment is independent of unobservables. In contrast, our estimation technique is consistent as well as computationally simple, consisting of group‐by‐group quantile regression followed by two‐stage least squares. Using the Bahadur representation of quantile estimators, we derive weak conditions on the growth of the number of observations per group that are sufficient for consistency and asymptotic zero‐mean normality of our estimator. As in Hausman and Taylor, 1981, micro‐level covariates can be used as internal instruments for the endogenous group‐level treatment if they satisfy relevance and exogeneity conditions. Our approach applies to a broad range of settings including labor, public finance, industrial organization, urban economics, and development; we illustrate its usefulness with several such examples. Finally, an empirical application of our estimator finds that low‐wage earners in the United States from 1990 to 2007 were significantly more affected by increased Chinese import competition than high‐wage earners.     

Nonparametric Identification under Discrete Variation

This paper provides weak conditions under which there is nonparametric interval identification of local features of a structural function that depends on a discrete endogenous variable and is nonseparable in latent variates. The function delivers values of a discrete or continuous outcome and instruments may be discrete valued. Application of the analog principle leads to quantile regression based interval estimators of values and partial differences of structural functions. The results are used to investigate the nonparametric identifying power of the quarter‐of‐birth instruments used in Angrist and Krueger's 1991 study of the returns to schooling.