This paper compares alternative estimation procedures for multi-level factor models which imply blocks of zero restrictions on the associated matrix of factor loadings. We suggest a sequential least squares algorithm for minimizing the total sum of squared residuals and a two-step approach based...

The business cycle has long been the focus of empirical economic research. Until recently statistical analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations was dominated by linear time series methods. Over the past 15 years, however, economists have increasingly applied tractable parametric nonlinear time...

1 Introduction -- 2 ‘Classical’ Techniques of Modelling Trends and Cycles -- 3 Stochastic Trends and Cycles -- 4 Filtering Economic Time Series -- 5 Nonlinear and Nonparametric Trend and Cycle Modelling -- 6 Multivariate Modelling of Trends and Cycles -- 7 Conclusions.