Cointegration: Bayesian Significance Test

To estimate causal relationships, time series econometricians must be aware of spurious correlation, a problem first mentioned by Yule (1926 Yule , G. U. ( 1926 ). Why we do sometimes get nonsense-correlations between time-series? A study in sampling and the nature of time-series (with discussion) . J. Roy. Statist. Soc. 89 : 1 – 64 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). To deal with this problem, one can work either with differenced series or multivariate models: VAR (VEC or VECM) models. These models usually include at least one cointegration relation. Although the Bayesian literature on VAR/VEC is quite advanced, Bauwens et al. (1999 Bauwens , L. , Lubrano , M. , Richard , J.-F. ( 1999 ). Bayesian Inference in Dynamic Econometric Models . Oxford : Oxford University Press . [Google Scholar]) highlighted that “the topic of selecting the cointegrating rank has not yet given very useful and convincing results”.

The present article applies the Full Bayesian Significance Test (FBST), especially designed to deal with sharp hypotheses, to cointegration rank selection tests in VECM time series models. It shows the FBST implementation using both simulated and available (in the literature) data sets. As illustration, standard non informative priors are used.