arXiv subjects

Jiti Gao

Publications and source records attributed to Jiti Gao.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2021

On Time-Varying VAR Models: Estimation, Testing and Impulse Response Analysis

Vector autoregressive (VAR) models are widely used in practical studies, e.g., forecasting, modelling policy transmission mechanism, and measuring connection of economic agents. To better capture the dynamics, this paper introduces a new class of time-varying VAR models in which the coefficients and covariance matrix of the error innovations are allowed to change smoothly over time. Accordingly, we establish a set of theories, including the impulse responses analyses subject to both of the short-run timing and the long-run restrictions, an information criterion to select the optimal lag, and a Wald-type test to determine the constant coefficients. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the theoretical findings. Finally, we demonstrate the empirical relevance and usefulness of the proposed methods through an application to the transmission mechanism of U.S. monetary policy.

econ.EM↗

arXiv2020

A Class of Time-Varying Vector Moving Average Models: Nonparametric Kernel Estimation and Application

Multivariate dynamic time series models are widely encountered in practical studies, e.g., modelling policy transmission mechanism and measuring connectedness between economic agents. To better capture the dynamics, this paper proposes a wide class of multivariate dynamic models with time-varying coefficients, which have a general time-varying vector moving average (VMA) representation, and nest, for instance, time-varying vector autoregression (VAR), time-varying vector autoregression moving-average (VARMA), and so forth as special cases. The paper then develops a unified estimation method for the unknown quantities before an asymptotic theory for the proposed estimators is established. In the empirical study, we investigate the transmission mechanism of monetary policy using U.S. data, and uncover a fall in the volatilities of exogenous shocks. In addition, we find that (i) monetary policy shocks have less influence on inflation before and during the so-called Great Moderation, (ii) inflation is more anchored recently, and (iii) the long-run level of inflation is below, but quite close to the Federal Reserve's target of two percent after the beginning of the Great Moderation period.

econ.EM↗

arXiv2020

On the Time Trend of COVID-19: A Panel Data Study

In this paper, we study the trending behaviour of COVID-19 data at country level, and draw attention to some existing econometric tools which are potentially helpful to understand the trend better in future studies. In our empirical study, we find that European countries overall flatten the curves more effectively compared to the other regions, while Asia & Oceania also achieve some success, but the situations are not as optimistic elsewhere. Africa and America are still facing serious challenges in terms of managing the spread of the virus, and reducing the death rate, although in Africa the virus spreads slower and has a lower death rate than the other regions. By comparing the performances of different countries, our results incidentally agree with Gu et al. (2020), though different approaches and models are considered. For example, both works agree that countries such as USA, UK and Italy perform relatively poorly; on the other hand, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore perform relatively better.

econ.EM↗

arXiv2020

Bayesian Indirect Inference and the ABC of GMM

In this paper we propose and study local linear and polynomial based estimators for implementing Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) style indirect inference and GMM estimators. This method makes use of nonparametric regression in the computation of GMM and Indirect Inference models. We provide formal conditions under which frequentist inference is asymptotically valid and demonstrate the validity of the estimated posterior quantiles for confidence interval construction. We also show that in this setting, local linear kernel regression methods have theoretical advantages over local constant kernel methods that are also reflected in finite sample simulation results. Our results also apply to both exactly and over identified models. These estimators do not need to rely on numerical optimization or Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations. They provide an effective complement to the classical M-estimators and to MCMC methods, and can be applied to both likelihood based models and method of moment based models.

math.ST↗

arXiv2019

Estimation of Cross-Sectional Dependence in Large Panels

Accurate estimation for extent of cross{sectional dependence in large panel data analysis is paramount to further statistical analysis on the data under study. Grouping more data with weak relations (cross{sectional dependence) together often results in less efficient dimension reduction and worse forecasting. This paper describes cross-sectional dependence among a large number of objects (time series) via a factor model and parameterizes its extent in terms of strength of factor loadings. A new joint estimation method, benefiting from unique feature of dimension reduction for high dimensional time series, is proposed for the parameter representing the extent and some other parameters involved in the estimation procedure. Moreover, a joint asymptotic distribution for a pair of estimators is established. Simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed estimation method in the finite sample performance. Applications in cross-country macro-variables and stock returns from S&P 500 are studied.

econ.EM↗

arXiv2019

An Integrated Panel Data Approach to Modelling Economic Growth

Empirical growth analysis has three major problems --- variable selection, parameter heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence --- which are addressed independently from each other in most studies. The purpose of this study is to propose an integrated framework that extends the conventional linear growth regression model to allow for parameter heterogeneity and cross-sectional error dependence, while simultaneously performing variable selection. We also derive the asymptotic properties of the estimator under both low and high dimensions, and further investigate the finite sample performance of the estimator through Monte Carlo simulations. We apply the framework to a dataset of 89 countries over the period from 1960 to 2014. Our results reveal some cross-country patterns not found in previous studies (e.g., "middle income trap hypothesis", "natural resources curse hypothesis", "religion works via belief, not practice", etc.).

econ.EM↗

arXiv2017

Estimation in Semiparametric Quantile Factor Models

We propose an estimation methodology for a semiparametric quantile factor panel model. We provide tools for inference that are robust to the existence of moments and to the form of weak cross-sectional dependence in the idiosyncratic error term. We apply our method to daily stock return data.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2016

Estimation in nonlinear regression with Harris recurrent Markov chains

In this paper, we study parametric nonlinear regression under the Harris recurrent Markov chain framework. We first consider the nonlinear least squares estimators of the parameters in the homoskedastic case, and establish asymptotic theory for the proposed estimators. Our results show that the convergence rates for the estimators rely not only on the properties of the nonlinear regression function, but also on the number of regenerations for the Harris recurrent Markov chain. Furthermore, we discuss the estimation of the parameter vector in a conditional volatility function, and apply our results to the nonlinear regression with $I(1)$ processes and derive an asymptotic distribution theory which is comparable to that obtained by Park and Phillips [Econometrica 69 (2001) 117-161]. Some numerical studies including simulation and empirical application are provided to examine the finite sample performance of the proposed approaches and results.

math.ST↗

arXiv2016

Estimation for single-index and partially linear single-index integrated models

Estimation mainly for two classes of popular models, single-index and partially linear single-index models, is studied in this paper. Such models feature nonstationarity. Orthogonal series expansion is used to approximate the unknown integrable link functions in the models and a profile approach is used to derive the estimators. The findings include the dual rate of convergence of the estimators for the single-index models and a trio of convergence rates for the partially linear single-index models. A new central limit theorem is established for a plug-in estimator of the unknown link function. Meanwhile, a considerable extension to a class of partially nonlinear single-index models is discussed in Section 4. Monte Carlo simulation verifies these theoretical results. An empirical study furnishes an application of the proposed estimation procedures in practice.

math.ST↗

arXiv2015

Jump detection in generalized error-in-variables regression with an application to Australian health tax policies

Without measurement errors in predictors, discontinuity of a nonparametric regression function at unknown locations could be estimated using a number of existing approaches. However, it becomes a challenging problem when the predictors contain measurement errors. In this paper, an error-in-variables jump point estimator is suggested for a nonparametric generalized error-in-variables regression model. A major feature of our method is that it does not impose any parametric distribution on the measurement error. Its performance is evaluated by both numerical studies and theoretical justifications. The method is applied to studying the impact of Medicare Levy Surcharge on the private health insurance take-up rate in Australia.

stat.AP↗

arXiv2014

High Dimensional Correlation Matrices: CLT and Its Applications

Statistical inferences for sample correlation matrices are important in high dimensional data analysis. Motivated by this, this paper establishes a new central limit theorem (CLT) for a linear spectral statistic (LSS) of high dimensional sample correlation matrices for the case where the dimension p and the sample size $n$ are comparable. This result is of independent interest in large dimensional random matrix theory. Meanwhile, we apply the linear spectral statistic to an independence test for $p$ random variables, and then an equivalence test for p factor loadings and $n$ factors in a factor model. The finite sample performance of the proposed test shows its applicability and effectiveness in practice. An empirical application to test the independence of household incomes from different cities in China is also conducted.

math.ST↗

arXiv2013

Long-range dependent time series specification

In this paper we propose using a nonparametric model specification test for parametric time series with long-range dependence (LRD). To establish asymptotic distributions of the proposed test statistic, we develop new central limit theorems for certain weighted quadratic forms of stationary time series with LRD. To implement our proposed test in practice, we develop a computer-intensive parametric bootstrap simulation procedure for finding simulated critical values. As a result, our finite-sample studies demonstrate that both the proposed theory and the simulation procedure work well, and that the proposed test has little size distortion and reasonable power.

math.ST↗

arXiv2012

Estimation in semi-parametric regression with non-stationary regressors

In this paper, we consider a partially linear model of the form $Y_t=X_t^τθ_0+g(V_t)+ε_t$, $t=1,...,n$, where $\{V_t\}$ is a $β$ null recurrent Markov chain, $\{X_t\}$ is a sequence of either strictly stationary or non-stationary regressors and $\{ε_t\}$ is a stationary sequence. We propose to estimate both $θ_0$ and $g(\cdot)$ by a semi-parametric least-squares (SLS) estimation method. Under certain conditions, we then show that the proposed SLS estimator of $θ_0$ is still asymptotically normal with the same rate as for the case of stationary time series. In addition, we also establish an asymptotic distribution for the nonparametric estimator of the function $g(\cdot)$. Some numerical examples are provided to show that our theory and estimation method work well in practice.

math.ST↗

arXiv2009

Specification testing in nonlinear and nonstationary time series autoregression

This paper considers a class of nonparametric autoregressive models with nonstationarity. We propose a nonparametric kernel test for the conditional mean and then establish an asymptotic distribution of the proposed test. Both the setting and the results differ from earlier work on nonparametric autoregression with stationarity. In addition, we develop a new bootstrap simulation scheme for the selection of a suitable bandwidth parameter involved in the kernel test as well as the choice of a simulated critical value. The finite-sample performance of the proposed test is assessed using one simulated example and one real data example.

math.ST↗

arXiv2008

A test for model specification of diffusion processes

We propose a test for model specification of a parametric diffusion process based on a kernel estimation of the transitional density of the process. The empirical likelihood is used to formulate a statistic, for each kernel smoothing bandwidth, which is effectively a Studentized $L_2$-distance between the kernel transitional density estimator and the parametric transitional density implied by the parametric process. To reduce the sensitivity of the test on smoothing bandwidth choice, the final test statistic is constructed by combining the empirical likelihood statistics over a set of smoothing bandwidths. To better capture the finite sample distribution of the test statistic and data dependence, the critical value of the test is obtained by a parametric bootstrap procedure. Properties of the test are evaluated asymptotically and numerically by simulation and by a real data example.

math.ST↗

arXiv2006

Estimation in semiparametric spatial regression

Nonparametric methods have been very popular in the last couple of decades in time series and regression, but no such development has taken place for spatial models. A rather obvious reason for this is the curse of dimensionality. For spatial data on a grid evaluating the conditional mean given its closest neighbors requires a four-dimensional nonparametric regression. In this paper a semiparametric spatial regression approach is proposed to avoid this problem. An estimation procedure based on combining the so-called marginal integration technique with local linear kernel estimation is developed in the semiparametric spatial regression setting. Asymptotic distributions are established under some mild conditions. The same convergence rates as in the one-dimensional regression case are established. An application of the methodology to the classical Mercer and Hall wheat data set is given and indicates that one directional component appears to be nonlinear, which has gone unnoticed in earlier analyses.

math.ST↗