We derive nonparametric tests of symmetry using asymmetric kernels with either shrinkingor fixed bandwidths. We show how to extend the approach to examine conditional symmetry byderiving conditions under which our tests are applicable to residuals from semiparametric modelswith a (sufficiently...

In this paper we propose a smooth transition tree model for both the conditionalmean and variance of the short-term interest rate process. The estimation of suchmodels is addressed and the asymptotic properties of the quasi-maximum likelihoodestimator are derived. Model specification is also...