arXiv subjects

Serena Ng

Publications and source records attributed to Serena Ng.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

The ABC of Simulation Estimation with Auxiliary Statistics

The frequentist method of simulated minimum distance (SMD) is widely used in economics to estimate complex models with an intractable likelihood. In other disciplines, a Bayesian approach known as Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) is far more popular. This paper connects these two seemingly related approaches to likelihood-free estimation by means of a Reverse Sampler that uses both optimization and importance weighting to target the posterior distribution. Its hybrid features enable us to analyze an ABC estimate from the perspective of SMD. We show that an ideal ABC estimate can be obtained as a weighted average of a sequence of SMD modes, each being the minimizer of the deviations between the data and the model. This contrasts with the SMD, which is the mode of the average deviations. Using stochastic expansions, we provide a general characterization of frequentist estimators and those based on Bayesian computations including Laplace-type estimators. Their differences are illustrated using analytical examples and a simulation study of the dynamic panel model.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2015

A Likelihood-Free Reverse Sampler of the Posterior Distribution

This paper considers properties of an optimization based sampler for targeting the posterior distribution when the likelihood is intractable and auxiliary statistics are used to summarize information in the data. Our reverse sampler approximates the likelihood-based posterior distribution by solving a sequence of simulated minimum distance problems. By a change of variable argument, these estimates are reweighted with a prior and the volume of the jacobian matrix to serve as draws from the desired posterior distribution. The sampler provides a conceptual framework to understand the difference between two types of likelihood free estimation. Because simulated minimum distance estimation always results in acceptable draws, the reverse sampler is potentially an alternative to existing approximate Bayesian methods that are computationally demanding because of a low acceptance rate.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2008

Panel Cointegration with Global Stochastic Trends

This paper studies estimation of panel cointegration models with cross-sectional dependence generated by unobserved global stochastic trends. The standard least squares estimator is, in general, inconsistent owing to the spuriousness induced by the unobservable I(1) trends. We propose two iterative procedures that jointly estimate the slope parameters and the stochastic trends. The resulting estimators are referred to respectively as CupBC (continuously-updated and bias-corrected) and the CupFM (continuously-updated and fully-modified) estimators. We establish their consistency and derive their limiting distributions. Both are asymptotically unbiased and asymptotically mixed normal and permit inference to be conducted using standard test statistics. The estimators are also valid when there are mixed stationary and non-stationary factors, as well as when the factors are all stationary.

math.ST↗