Optimal lag-length choice in stable and unstable VAR models under situations of homoscedasticity and ARCH

The performance of different information criteria – namely Akaike, corrected Akaike (AICC), Schwarz–Bayesian (SBC), and Hannan–Quinn – is investigated so as to choose the optimal lag length in stable and unstable vector autoregressive (VAR) models both when autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) is present and when it is not. The investigation covers both large and small sample sizes. The Monte Carlo simulation results show that SBC has relatively better performance in lag-choice accuracy in many situations. It is also generally the least sensitive to ARCH regardless of stability or instability of the VAR model, especially in large sample sizes. These appealing properties of SBC make it the optimal criterion for choosing lag length in many situations, especially in the case of financial data, which are usually characterized by occasional periods of high volatility. SBC also has the best forecasting abilities in the majority of situations in which we vary sample size, stability, variance structure (ARCH or not), and forecast horizon (one period or five). frequently, AICC also has good lag-choosing and forecasting properties. However, when ARCH is present, the five-period forecast performance of all criteria in all situations worsens.     

Multivariate-based causality tests of twin deficits in the US

This paper provides an alternative methodology for testing the causality direction between twin deficits in the US. Rao's multivariate F-test combined with the bootstrap simulation technique has appealing properties, especially when the data-generating process is characterized by unit roots. In addition the results show that the effect of structural breaks are of paramount importance when the causality tests are conducted. In much contemporary applied econometrics there is all-too-little attention given to the possibility of changes in the economic process.