We develop a numerical procedure that facilitates efficient filtering in applications involving non-linear and non-Gaussian state-space models. The procedure approximates necessary integrals using continuous approximations of target densities. Construction is achieved via efficient importance...

This paper provides high-dimensional and flexible importance sampling procedures for the likelihood evaluation of dynamic latent variable models involving finite or infinite mixtures leading to possibly heavy tailed and/or multi-modal target densities. Our approach is based upon the efficient...

This paper investigates the Information content of daily trading volume with respect to the long-run or high persistent and the short-run or transitory components of the volatility of daily stock market returns using bivariate mixture models. For this purpose, the Standard bivariate mixture...

In this paper we consider ML estimation for a broad class of parameter-driven models for discrete dependent variables with spatial correlation. Under this class of models, which includes spatial discrete choice models, spatial Tobit models and spatial count data models, the dependent variable is...

PRELIMINARY DRAFT We discuss maximum likelihood (ML) analysis for panel count data models, in which the observed counts are linked via a measurement density to a latent Gaussian process with spatial as well as temporal dynamics and random effects. For likelihood evaluation requiring...

We generalize the basic Wishart multivariate stochastic volatility model of Philipov and Glickmann (2006) to encompass regime switching behavior. The latent state variable is driven by a first-order Markov process. In order to estimate the proposed model we use Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo...

In this paper Efficient Importance Sampling (EIS) is used to perform a classical and Bayesian analysis of univariate and multivariate Stochastic Volatility (SV) models for financial return series. EIS provides a highly generic and very accurate procedure for the Monte Carlo (MC) evaluation of...

Empirical evidence suggests a sharp volatility decline of the growth in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in the mid-1980s. Using Bayesian methods, we analyze whether a volatility reduction can also be detected for the German GDP. Since statistical inference for volatility processes critically...

We use panel probit models with unobserved heterogeneity and serially correlated errors in order to analyze the determinants and the dynamics of current-account reversals for a panel of developing and emerging countries. The likelihood evaluation of these models requires high-dimensional...

In this paper we discuss parameter identification and likelihood evaluation for multinomial multiperiod Probit models. It is shown in particular that the standard autoregressive specification used in the literature can be interpreted as a latent common factor model. However, this specification...