Credible Granger-causality analysis appears to require post-sample inference, as it is well-known that in-sample fit can be a poor guide to actual forecasting effectiveness. But post-sample model testing requires an often-consequential a priori partitioning of the data into an 'in-sample' period...

The literature on the relationship between real output growth and the growth rate in the price of oil, including an allowance for asymmetry in the impact of oil prices on output, continues to evolve. Here we show that a new technique, which allows us to control for both this asymmetry and also...

Credible Granger-causality analysis appears to require post-sample inference, as it is well-known that in-sample fit can be a poor guide to actual forecasting effectiveness. However, post-sample model testing requires an often-consequential <em>a priori</em> partitioning of the data into an...

It is often unclear whether time series displaying substantial persistence should be modelled as a vector autoregression in levels (perhaps with a trend term) or in differences. The impact of this decision on inference is examined here using Monte Carlo simulation. In particular, the size and...

Credible inference requires attention to the possible fragility of the results (p-values for key hypothesis tests) to flaws in the model assumptions, notably including the validity of the instruments used. Past sensitivity analysis has mainly consisted of experimentation with alternative model...

Case, Quigley and Shiller (2013) distinguished and quantified two wealth effects in retail sales at the state level: One from wealth held as corporate stock and one from wealth held in the form of home ownership. Here we investigate how each of these wealth e¤ects varies by frequency that is,...

The dissertation consists of two essays. In the first essay, we measure herding by institutional investors in the new economy (internet) stocks during 1998-2001 by examining the changes in the quarterly institutional holdings of internet stocks relative to an average stock. More than 95% of the...

Numerous studies have documented the existence of nonlinearity within various financial time series. But how important of a finding is this? This dissertation examines this issue from a number of perspectives. First, is the nonlinearity that has been found a statistical anomaly that is isolated...