We propose a coherent framework using support vector regression (SRV) for generating and ranking a set of high quality models for predicting emerging market sovereign credit spreads. Our framework adapts a global optimization algorithm employing an hv-block cross-validation metric, pertinent for...

We consider identification and estimation of nonseparable sample selection models with censored selection rules. We employ a control function approach and discuss different objects of interest based on (1) local effects conditional on the control function, and (2) global effects obtained from...

We consider time series models in which the conditional mean of the response variable given thepast depends on latent covariates. We assume that the covariates can be estimated consistentlyand use an iterative nonparametric kernel smoothing procedure for estimating the conditional meanfunction....

The term structure of American interest rates is filtered to reduce the influence of cross correlations and auto correlations on its factors. A three-factor model is fitted to the filtered data. Contrary to most studies of the term structure on monthly data, performing statistical tests we...

Let (X1, Y1), . . ., (Xn, Yn) be i.i.d. rvs and let l(x) be the unknownp-quantile regression curve of Y on X. A quantile-smootherln(x) is a localised, nonlinear estimator of l(x). The strong uniformconsistency rate is established under general conditions. In many applicationsit is necessary to...

Accurate credit-granting decisions are crucial to the efficiency of the decentralized capital allocation mechanisms in modern market economies. Credit bureaus and many financial institutions have developed and used credit-scoring models to standardize and automate, to the extent possible, credit...

This paper studies nonparametric estimation of conditional moment models in which the residual functions could be nonsmooth with respect to the unknown functions of endogenous variables. It is a problem of nonparametric nonlinear instrumental variables (IV) estimation, and a difficult nonlinear...

This note argues that nonparametric regression not only relaxes functional form assumptions vis-a-vis parametric regression, but that it also permits endogenous control variables. To control for selection bias or to make an exclusion restriction in instrumental variables regression valid,...

In this paper we develop procedures for performing inference in regression models about how potential policy interventions affect the entire marginal distribution of an outcome of interest. These policy interventions consist of either changes in the distribution of covariates related to the...

We investigate the problem of optimal choice of the smoothing parameter (bandwidth) for the regression discontinuity estimator. We focus on estimation by local linear regression, which was shown to be rate optimal (Porter, 2003). Investigation of an expected-squared-error-loss criterion reveals...