Geostatistical spatial models are widely used in many applied fields to forecast data observed on continuous three-dimensional surfaces. We propose to extend their use to finance and, in particular, to forecasting yield curves. We present the results of an empirical application where we apply...

This paper systematically studies the use of mixed-frequency data sets and suggests that the use of high frequency data in forecasting economic aggregates can improve forecast accuracy. The best way of using this information is to build a single model, for example, an ARMA model with missing...

We propose a classical approach to estimate factor-augmented vector autoregressive (FAVAR) models with time variation in the factor loadings, in the factor dynamics, and in the variance-covariance matrix of innovations. When the time-varying FAVAR is estimated using a large quarterly dataset of...

The recent increase in the use of a digital payment system is an interesting prospect in predicting macroeconomic activity. A digital payment system comprising credit cards, debit cards, automated teller machines (ATMs), and mobile banking represents a broad spectrum of spending activity. The...

Time series is a collection of observations made at regular time intervals and its analysis refers to problems in correlations among successive observations. Time series analysis is applied in all areas of statistics but some of the most important include macroeconomic and financial time series....

We propose a new asset-pricing framework in which all securities' signals are used to predict each individual return. While the literature focuses on each security's own- signal predictability, assuming an equal strength across securities, our framework is flexible and includes...

Bayesian inference requires an analyst to set priors. Setting the right prior is crucial for precise forecasts. This paper analyzes how optimal prior changes when an economy is hit by a recession. For this task, an autoregressive distributed lag model is chosen. The results show that a sharp...

The Great Recession endured by the main industrialized countries during the period 2008-2009, in the wake of the financial and banking crisis, has pointed out the major role of the financial sector on macroeconomic fluctuations. In this respect, many researchers have started to reconsider the...

We analyze the role of hedge fund, swap dealer and arbitrageur activity in a Markov regime-switching model between high volatility bear markets and low volatility bull markets for crude oil, corn and Mini-S&P500 index futures. We find that these institutional positions reflect fundamental...