Forecasting when model stability is uncertain. Forecasts of macroeconomic and financial variables play a crucial role in forward planning undertaken by government and financial institutions, but the predictability of these series is often context and time specific, making standard forecasting techniques unreliable. This project aims to develop new modelling and forecasting techniques that can adapt to structural changes in the model soon after they occur. It aims to derive relevant econometric t ....Forecasting when model stability is uncertain. Forecasts of macroeconomic and financial variables play a crucial role in forward planning undertaken by government and financial institutions, but the predictability of these series is often context and time specific, making standard forecasting techniques unreliable. This project aims to develop new modelling and forecasting techniques that can adapt to structural changes in the model soon after they occur. It aims to derive relevant econometric theory, use simulations to study the properties of the proposed techniques, as well as apply these new techniques to observed data.Read moreRead less
Inference in partially non-stationary time series models. Economic theories typically specify the long-run relationship between economic variables. However, researchers usually examine the long-run features of the data by fitting a restrictive class of models using criteria that have only proven useful for short-term forecasting. In this project we consider alternative models and modelling strategies that are appropriate for the study of the long-run. We also develop computer intensive (bootstra ....Inference in partially non-stationary time series models. Economic theories typically specify the long-run relationship between economic variables. However, researchers usually examine the long-run features of the data by fitting a restrictive class of models using criteria that have only proven useful for short-term forecasting. In this project we consider alternative models and modelling strategies that are appropriate for the study of the long-run. We also develop computer intensive (bootstrap) methods, which will provide a much-needed improvement over the existing (asymptotic) methods for making inference about the long-run. Our research will lead to more reliable models for long-term planning in business, industry and government.Read moreRead less
Vector ARMA Models and Macroeconomic Modelling: Some New Methodology and Algorithms. Economic variables are strongly related to each other, as well as being strongly related to their recent history. As a result, good dynamic multivariate models are crucial for effective policy making and forecasting in areas of vital national importance such as monetary and fiscal policy, environmental policy and tourism. Our project advances the frontiers of knowledge in multivariate time series modelling. The ....Vector ARMA Models and Macroeconomic Modelling: Some New Methodology and Algorithms. Economic variables are strongly related to each other, as well as being strongly related to their recent history. As a result, good dynamic multivariate models are crucial for effective policy making and forecasting in areas of vital national importance such as monetary and fiscal policy, environmental policy and tourism. Our project advances the frontiers of knowledge in multivariate time series modelling. The outcome of this project will be immediately useful for macroeconomic policy makers such as the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Treasury, and for industry bodies such as Tourism Australia. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100713
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Nonparametric estimation and forecasting of yield curve dynamics. This project aims to develop a suite of nonparametric estimation and forecasting techniques for yield curves, which describe how interest rates vary with different maturities. Its significance for monetary policy and fixed-income investment is interesting to policy makers and financial practitioners. Time-varying features are needed in the specification of the yield curve, given the constantly changing financial environment in whi ....Nonparametric estimation and forecasting of yield curve dynamics. This project aims to develop a suite of nonparametric estimation and forecasting techniques for yield curves, which describe how interest rates vary with different maturities. Its significance for monetary policy and fixed-income investment is interesting to policy makers and financial practitioners. Time-varying features are needed in the specification of the yield curve, given the constantly changing financial environment in which bond markets operate. Expected outcomes include new statistical methods and forecasting procedures applicable to empirical problems in economics and finance.Read moreRead less
A Bayesian State Space Methodology for Forecasting Stock Market Volatility and Associated Time-varying Risk Premia. Accurate prediction of stock market volatility is critical for effective financial risk management. Along with information on volatility embedded in historical stock market returns, the prices of options written on the underlying stocks also reflect the option market's assessment of future volatility. This project will exploit this dual data source in a completely new way, using it ....A Bayesian State Space Methodology for Forecasting Stock Market Volatility and Associated Time-varying Risk Premia. Accurate prediction of stock market volatility is critical for effective financial risk management. Along with information on volatility embedded in historical stock market returns, the prices of options written on the underlying stocks also reflect the option market's assessment of future volatility. This project will exploit this dual data source in a completely new way, using it to produce forecasts of both volatility itself and the premia factored into asset prices as a result of traders' perceptions of volatility risk. State-of-the-art statistical methods will be used to produce up-dates of the probability of extreme volatility and/or extreme risk aversion, as new market data becomes available each trading day.Read moreRead less
Macroeconomic forecasting in a 'Big Data' world. This project will develop methods for forecasting important macroeconomic variables where a large set of predictors is available. As well as raw variables and composite indices such as principal components. This project will also include various lags and nonlinear functions of potential predictors. The project will adapt Bayesian statistical methods for selecting these predictors so that they can be applied to time series data, thus developing inn ....Macroeconomic forecasting in a 'Big Data' world. This project will develop methods for forecasting important macroeconomic variables where a large set of predictors is available. As well as raw variables and composite indices such as principal components. This project will also include various lags and nonlinear functions of potential predictors. The project will adapt Bayesian statistical methods for selecting these predictors so that they can be applied to time series data, thus developing innovative forecasting methods that can be used on a range of important problems involving 'Big Data'. The project will compare forecasts from different methods using simulated and empirical data from the US and Australia. For the latter an outcome will be an online handbook of available Australian economic data for public use.Read moreRead less
Non-parametric estimation of forecast distributions in non-Gaussian state space models. The production of accurate forecasts is arguably one of the most challenging tasks in economics, business and finance, where data often assume strictly positive, integer or binary values, or are characterized by many extreme values far from the average. This project will produce new, state-of-the-art statistical methods for generating accurate estimates of the probabilities attached to different possible futu ....Non-parametric estimation of forecast distributions in non-Gaussian state space models. The production of accurate forecasts is arguably one of the most challenging tasks in economics, business and finance, where data often assume strictly positive, integer or binary values, or are characterized by many extreme values far from the average. This project will produce new, state-of-the-art statistical methods for generating accurate estimates of the probabilities attached to different possible future values of such variables. Although far-ranging in scope, the techniques advocated will have particular impact in the financial sphere, where the concept of future risk is inextricably linked to the probability of occurrence of extreme values and, hence, to the future probability distribution of the financial variable. Read moreRead less
New Approaches to the Analysis of Count Time Series. The focus of this proposal is on the analysis of data that enumerate events over time. Occurrences of such count data abound in economics and business, examples being observations on insurance claims, loan defaults and individual product demand. This project develops a suite of innovative methods for modelling and predicting event counts. The methods explicitly accommodate both the discreteness of the data and possible complexities in its evo ....New Approaches to the Analysis of Count Time Series. The focus of this proposal is on the analysis of data that enumerate events over time. Occurrences of such count data abound in economics and business, examples being observations on insurance claims, loan defaults and individual product demand. This project develops a suite of innovative methods for modelling and predicting event counts. The methods explicitly accommodate both the discreteness of the data and possible complexities in its evolution over time. In so doing, they enable both accurate inferences regarding the dynamic structure of the data to be drawn and accurate forecasts of future event counts to be produced.Read moreRead less
Fractional Integration, Power Laws and Econometric Models: Some Methodological and Theoretical Developments. The fundamental objectives of this project are to: (i) Extend
current econometric practice and consider the use of power laws as
a basis for the construction of a more flexible and realistic
class of models for the analysis of economic and financial time
series. (ii) To develop inferential techniques appropriate for the
modelling of dynamic econometric systems that incorporate
struc ....Fractional Integration, Power Laws and Econometric Models: Some Methodological and Theoretical Developments. The fundamental objectives of this project are to: (i) Extend
current econometric practice and consider the use of power laws as
a basis for the construction of a more flexible and realistic
class of models for the analysis of economic and financial time
series. (ii) To develop inferential techniques appropriate for the
modelling of dynamic econometric systems that incorporate
structure characterized by power laws. This will be achieved by
building upon the class of fractionally integrated processes. New
econometric models and methodologies for the analysis of
non-stationarity series will be developed, along with the
associated theoretical results.Read moreRead less
Semi-parametric bootstrap-based inference in long-memory models. Given the long lead times involved in implementing economic decisions, a clear understanding of the long-term dynamics driving key variables is crucial. This project will produce significant advances in the analysis of long-range dependence, with decisions underpinned by more accurate and robust statistical information as a consequence.