The assumption that equity returns follow the normal distribution, most commonly made in financial economics theory and applications, is strongly rejected by empirical evidence presented in this paper. As it was found in many other studies, we confirm that stock returns follow a leptokurtic...

Increasingly, professional forecasters and academic researchers present model-based and subjective or judgment-based forecasts in economics which are accompanied by some measure of uncertainty. In its most complete form this measure is a probability density function for future values of the...

A dynamic asset-allocation model is specified in probabilistic terms as a combination of return distributions resulting from multiple pairs of dynamic models and portfolio strategies based on momentum patterns in US industry returns. The nonlinear state space representation of the model allows...

This article argues that conventional approaches to the treatment of seasonality in econometric investigation are often inappropriate. A more appropriate technique is to allow all regression coefficients to vary with the season, but to constrain them to do so in a smooth fashion. A Bayesian...

Short memory models contaminated by level shifts have similar long-memory features as fractionally integrated processes. This makes it hard to verify whether the true data generating process is a pure fractionally integrated process when employing standard estimation methods based on the...

A linearization technique for binary quadratic programs (BQPs) that comprise linear constraints is presented. The technique, called “inductive linearization”, extends concepts for BQPs with particular equation constraints, that have been referred to as “compact linearization” before, to...

A modification of the self-perturbed Kalman filter of Park and Jun (1992) is proposed for the on-line estimation of models subject to parameter instability. The perturbation term in the updating equation of the state covariance matrix is weighted by the measurement error variance, thus avoiding...

We study the statistical properties of heterogeneous agent models. Using aBewley-Hugget-Aiyagari model we compute the density function of wealth and in-come and use it for likelihood inference. We study the finite sample properties of themaximum likelihood estimator (MLE) using Monte Carlo...

As the operator of a systemically important payment system (SIPS), the Eurosystem has the responsibility of regularly assessing the resilience of the Trans-European Automated Real-time Gross Settlement Express Transfer System (TARGET2) to various types of risks, as set out in the Principles for...

This paper explores the feasibility of calculating absolute poverty lines on the basis of minimum food expenditures in developed countries. It makes three important contributions. First, it demonstrates that standard statistical methods used in the developing world deliver either inadequate...