We introduce a novel semi-parametric estimator of American option prices in discrete time. The specification is based on a parameterized stochastic discount factor and is nonparametric w.r.t. the historical dynamics of the Markovian state variables. The historical transition density estimator...

This paper develops a new approach for variance trading. We show that the discretely-sampled realized variance can be robustly replicated under very general conditions, including when the price can jump. The replication strategy specifies the exact timing for rebalancing in the underlying. The...

We suggest a semi-nonparametric estimator for the call-option price surface. The estimator is a bivariate tensor-product B-spline. To enforce no-arbitrage constraints across strikes and expiry dates, we establish sufficient no-arbitrage conditions on the control net of the B-spline surface. The...

We propose a modified local-Whittle estimator of the memory parameter of a long memory time series process which has good properties under an almost complete collection of contamination processes that have been discussed in the literature, mostly separately. These contaminations include...

We examine the evidence on excess stock return predictability in a Bayesian setting in which the investor faces uncertainty about both the existence and strength of predictability. When we apply our methods to the dividend-price ratio, we find that even investors who are quite skeptical about...

A new model class for univariate asset returns is proposed which involves the use of mixtures of stable Paretian distributions, and readily lends itself to use in a multivariate context for portfolio selection. The model nests numerous ones currently in use, and is shown to outperform all its...

We consider model identification for infinite variance autoregressive time series processes. It is shown that a consistent estimate of autoregressive model order can be obtained by minimizing Akaike’s information criterion, and we use all-pass models to identify noncausal autoregressive...

We develop a nonparametric test to check whether a process can be represented by a stochastic differential equation driven only by a Brownian motion. Our testing procedure utilizes the infinitesimal operator-based martingale characterization combined with a generalized spectral approach. Such a...

Detecting structural changes in volatility is important for understanding volatility dynamics and stylized facts observed for financial returns such as volatility persistence. We propose modified CUSUM and LM tests that are built on a robust estimator of the long-run variance of squared series....

When a model under-specifies the data generation process, model selection can improve over estimating a prior specification, especially if location shifts occur. Impulse-indicator saturation (IIS) can ‘correct’ non-constant intercepts induced by location shifts in omitted variables, which...