We present a comprehensive framework for Bayesian estimation of structural nonlinear dynamic economic models on sparse grids. The Smolyak operator underlying the sparse grids approach frees global approximation from the curse of dimensionality and we apply it to a Chebyshev approximation of the...

This paper is intended as a guide to building insurance risk (loss) models. A typical model for insurance risk, the so-called collective risk model, treats the aggregate loss as having a compound distribution with two main components: one characterizing the arrival of claims and another...

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is an important tool in data analyses, particularly in social science. Usually four steps are carried out which contain an large number of options. One important option is the number of factors and the association of variables with a factor. Our tools aim to...

In this paper we consider the optimal stopping problem for general dynamic monetary utility functionals. Sufficient conditions for the Bellman principle and the existence of optimal stopping times are provided. Particular attention is payed to representations which allow for a numerical...

The Heston model stands out from the class of stochastic volatility (SV) models mainly for two reasons. Firstly, the process for the volatility is nonnegative and mean-reverting, which is what we observe in the markets. Secondly, there exists a fast and easily implemented semi-analytical...

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is an important tool in data analyses, particularly in social science. Usually four steps are carried out which contain an large number of options. One important option is the number of factors and the association of variables with a factor. Our tools aim to...

Linear Methods are often used to compute approximate solutions to dynamic models, as these models often cannot be solved analytically. Linear methods are very popular, as they can easily be implemented. Also, they provide a useful starting point for understanding more elaborate numerical...

In this paper we consider the optimal stopping problem for general dynamic monetary utility functionals. Sufficient conditions for the Bellman principle and the existence of optimal stopping times are provided. Particular attention is payed to representations which allow for a numerical...

The Heston model stands out from the class of stochastic volatility (SV) models mainly for two reasons. Firstly, the process for the volatility is nonnegative and mean-reverting, which is what we observe in the markets. Secondly, there exists a fast and easily implemented semi-analytical...

I construct risk-corrected approximations of the policy functions of DSGEmodels around the stochastic steady state and ergodic mean that are linear in the state variables. The resulting approximations are uniformly more accurate than standard linear approximations and capture the dynamics of...