The selection of upper order statistics in tail estimation is notoriously difficult. Methods that are based on asymptotic arguments, like minimizing the asymptotic MSE, do not perform well in finite samples. Here, we advance a data-driven method that minimizes the maximum distance between the...

Worst-case analysis is used among financial regulators in the wake of the recent financial crisis to gauge the tail risk. We provide insight into worst-case analysis and provide guidance on how to estimate it. We derive the bias for the non-parametric heavy-tailed order statistics and contrast...

Scaling behavior measured in cross-sectional studies through the tail index of a power law is prone to a bias. This hampers inference; in particular, time variation in estimated tail indices may be erroneous. In the case of a linear factor model, the factor biases the tail indices in the left and...