Restricted Kalman Filtering


Book Description

​​​​​​​​ ​In statistics, the Kalman filter is a mathematical method whose purpose is to use a series of measurements observed over time, containing random variations and other inaccuracies, and produce estimates that tend to be closer to the true unknown values than those that would be based on a single measurement alone. This Brief offers developments on Kalman filtering subject to general linear constraints. There are essentially three types of contributions: new proofs for results already established; new results within the subject; and applications in investment analysis and macroeconomics, where the proposed methods are illustrated and evaluated. The Brief has a short chapter on linear state space models and the Kalman filter, aiming to make the book self-contained and to give a quick reference to the reader (notation and terminology). The prerequisites would be a contact with time series analysis in the level of Hamilton (1994) or Brockwell & Davis (2002) and also with linear state models and the Kalman filter – each of these books has a chapter entirely dedicated to the subject. The book is intended for graduate students, researchers and practitioners in statistics (specifically: time series analysis and econometrics).




Smoothing, Filtering and Prediction


Book Description

This book describes the classical smoothing, filtering and prediction techniques together with some more recently developed embellishments for improving performance within applications. It aims to present the subject in an accessible way, so that it can serve as a practical guide for undergraduates and newcomers to the field. The material is organised as a ten-lecture course. The foundations are laid in Chapters 1 and 2, which explain minimum-mean-square-error solution construction and asymptotic behaviour. Chapters 3 and 4 introduce continuous-time and discrete-time minimum-variance filtering. Generalisations for missing data, deterministic inputs, correlated noises, direct feedthrough terms, output estimation and equalisation are described. Chapter 5 simplifies the minimum-variance filtering results for steady-state problems. Observability, Riccati equation solution convergence, asymptotic stability and Wiener filter equivalence are discussed. Chapters 6 and 7 cover the subject of continuous-time and discrete-time smoothing. The main fixed-lag, fixed-point and fixed-interval smoother results are derived. It is shown that the minimum-variance fixed-interval smoother attains the best performance. Chapter 8 attends to parameter estimation. As the above-mentioned approaches all rely on knowledge of the underlying model parameters, maximum-likelihood techniques within expectation-maximisation algorithms for joint state and parameter estimation are described. Chapter 9 is concerned with robust techniques that accommodate uncertainties within problem specifications. An extra term within Riccati equations enables designers to trade-off average error and peak error performance. Chapter 10 rounds off the course by applying the afore-mentioned linear techniques to nonlinear estimation problems. It is demonstrated that step-wise linearisations can be used within predictors, filters and smoothers, albeit by forsaking optimal performance guarantees.




Understanding DSGE Filters in Forecasting and Policy Analysis


Book Description

This paper introduces methods that allow analysts to (i) decompose the estimates of unobserved quantities into observed data, (ii) to better understand revision properties of the model, and (iii) to impose subjective prior constraints on path estimates of unobserved shocks in structural economic models. For instance, a decomposition of the flexible-price output gap, or a technology shock, into contributions of output, inflation, interest rates, and other observed variables' contribution is feasible. The intuitive nature and analytical clarity of the suggested procedures are appealing for policy-related and forecasting models.




Time Series Analysis by State Space Methods


Book Description

State space time series analysis emerged in the 1960s in engineering, but its applications have spread to other fields. Durbin (statistics, London School of Economics and Political Science) and Koopman (econometrics, Free U., Amsterdam) extol the virtues of such models over the main analytical system currently used for time series data, Box-Jenkins' ARIMA. What distinguishes state space time models is that they separately model components such as trend, seasonal, regression elements and disturbance terms. Part I focuses on traditional and new techniques based on the linear Gaussian model. Part II presents new material extending the state space model to non-Gaussian observations. c. Book News Inc.




Advances in Classification and Data Analysis


Book Description

This volume contains a selection of papers presented at the biannual meeting of the Classification and Data Analysis Group of Societa Italiana di Statistica, which was held in Rome, July 5-6, 1999. From the originally submitted papers, a careful review process led to the selection of 45 papers presented in four parts as follows: CLASSIFICATION AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING Cluster analysis Discriminant analysis Proximity structures analysis and Multidimensional Scaling Genetic algorithms and neural networks MUL TIV ARIA TE DATA ANALYSIS Factorial methods Textual data analysis Regression Models for Data Analysis Nonparametric methods SPATIAL AND TIME SERIES DATA ANALYSIS Time series analysis Spatial data analysis CASE STUDIES INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES The International Federation of Classification Societies (IFCS) is an agency for the dissemination of technical and scientific information concerning classification and data analysis in the broad sense and in as wide a range of applications as possible; founded in 1985 in Cambridge (UK) from the following Scientific Societies and Groups: British Classification Society -BCS; Classification Society of North America - CSNA; Gesellschaft fUr Klassifikation - GfKI; Japanese Classification Society -JCS; Classification Group of Italian Statistical Society - CGSIS; Societe Francophone de Classification -SFC. Now the IFCS includes also the following Societies: Dutch-Belgian Classification Society - VOC; Polish Classification Society -SKAD; Associayao Portuguesa de Classificayao e Analise de Dados -CLAD; Korean Classification Society -KCS; Group-at-Large.




Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Empirical Macroeconomics


Book Description

This comprehensive Handbook presents the current state of art in the theory and methodology of macroeconomic data analysis. It is intended as a reference for graduate students and researchers interested in exploring new methodologies, but can also be employed as a graduate text. The Handbook concentrates on the most important issues, models and techniques for research in macroeconomics, and highlights the core methodologies and their empirical application in an accessible manner. Each chapter is largely self-contained, whilst the comprehensive introduction provides an overview of the key statistical concepts and methods. All of the chapters include the essential references for each topic and provide a sound guide for further reading. Topics covered include unit roots, non-linearities and structural breaks, time aggregation, forecasting, the Kalman filter, generalised method of moments, maximum likelihood and Bayesian estimation, vector autoregressive, dynamic stochastic general equilibrium and dynamic panel models. Presenting the most important models and techniques for empirical research, this Handbook will appeal to students, researchers and academics working in empirical macro and econometrics.




Linear Models and Time-Series Analysis


Book Description

A comprehensive and timely edition on an emerging new trend in time series Linear Models and Time-Series Analysis: Regression, ANOVA, ARMA and GARCH sets a strong foundation, in terms of distribution theory, for the linear model (regression and ANOVA), univariate time series analysis (ARMAX and GARCH), and some multivariate models associated primarily with modeling financial asset returns (copula-based structures and the discrete mixed normal and Laplace). It builds on the author's previous book, Fundamental Statistical Inference: A Computational Approach, which introduced the major concepts of statistical inference. Attention is explicitly paid to application and numeric computation, with examples of Matlab code throughout. The code offers a framework for discussion and illustration of numerics, and shows the mapping from theory to computation. The topic of time series analysis is on firm footing, with numerous textbooks and research journals dedicated to it. With respect to the subject/technology, many chapters in Linear Models and Time-Series Analysis cover firmly entrenched topics (regression and ARMA). Several others are dedicated to very modern methods, as used in empirical finance, asset pricing, risk management, and portfolio optimization, in order to address the severe change in performance of many pension funds, and changes in how fund managers work. Covers traditional time series analysis with new guidelines Provides access to cutting edge topics that are at the forefront of financial econometrics and industry Includes latest developments and topics such as financial returns data, notably also in a multivariate context Written by a leading expert in time series analysis Extensively classroom tested Includes a tutorial on SAS Supplemented with a companion website containing numerous Matlab programs Solutions to most exercises are provided in the book Linear Models and Time-Series Analysis: Regression, ANOVA, ARMA and GARCH is suitable for advanced masters students in statistics and quantitative finance, as well as doctoral students in economics and finance. It is also useful for quantitative financial practitioners in large financial institutions and smaller finance outlets.




Contemporary Issues in Economics and Econometrics


Book Description

'All of the papers share a high level of practical relevance and usefulness that is sometimes missing in economic research. Indeed, the reader will find that very issue taken up as the theme of Paul Klemperer's delightful essay, and all five papers under the heading of "econometric theory" will be extremely useful for most applied researchers. I hope that the reader will also share my feeling of gratitude toward Ralf Becker and Stan Hurn for putting together this outstanding permanent record of some of the conference's most important contributions.' - From the foreword by James D. Hamilton, University of California, San Diego, US This authoritative collection of papers covers a broad spectrum of topics in theoretical and applied economics and econometrics. The tone of the book is set by Paul Klemperer's contribution on using and abusing economic theory, in which academics are encouraged to widen the scope of their analyses beyond the confines of elegant models which sometimes lack 'real-world' detail. As a result, many of the chapters in this volume share a high degree of practical relevance.




Readings in Unobserved Components Models


Book Description

This volume presents a collection of readings which give the reader an idea of the nature and scope of unobserved components (UC) models and the methods used to deal with them. The book is intended to give a self-contained presentation of the methods and applicative issues. Harvey has made major contributions to this field and provides substantial introductions throughout the book to form a unified view of the literature. - ;This book presents a collection of readings which give the reader an idea of the nature and scope of unobserved components (UC) models and the methods used to deal with them. It contains four parts, three of which concern recent theoretical developments in classical and Bayesian estimation of linear, nonlinear, and non Gaussian UC models, signal extraction and testing, and one is devoted to selected econometric applications. The first part focuses on the linear state space model; the readings provide insight on prediction theory, signal extraction, and likelihood inference for non stationary and non invertible processes, diagnostic checking, and the use of state space methods for spline smoothing. Part II deals with applications of linear UC models to various estimation problems concerning economic time series, such as trend-cycle decompositions, seasonal adjustment, and the modelling of the serial correlation induced by survey sample design. The issues involved in testing in linear UC models are the theme of part III, which considers tests concerned with whether or not certain variance parameters are zero, with special reference to stationarity tests. Finally, part IV is devoted to the advances concerning classical and Bayesian inference for non linear and non Gaussian state space models, an area that has been evolving very rapidly during the last decade, paralleling the advances in computational inference using stochastic simulation techniques. The book is intended to give a relatively self-contained presentation of the methods and applicative issues. For this purpose, each part comes with an introductory chapter by the editors that provides a unified view of the literature and the many important developments that have occurred in the last years. -