CMBS are an important segment of the real estate debt markets which reduce the commercial property sector's dependence on bank financing. Until the advent of the credit squeeze in Q3:2007, the CMBS market was one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing sectors in the capital markets, for a...

Using artificial neural networks (ANN) and ordinal regression (OR) as alternative methods to predict LPT bond ratings, we examine the role that various financial and industry variables have on Listed Property Trust (LPT) bond ratings issued by Standard and Poor’s from 1999-2006. Our study...

Using artificial neural networks (ANN) and ordinal regression (OR) as alternative methods to predict LPT bond ratings, we examine the role that various financial and industry-based variables have on Listed Property Trust (LPT) bond ratings issued by Standard and Poor?s from 1999-2006. Our study...

Appropriate modelling of Likert-type items should account for the scale level and the specific role of the neutral middle category, which is present in most Likert-type items that are in common use. Powerful hierarchical models that account for both aspects are proposed. To avoid biased...