Model Reduction Methods For Vector Autoregressive Processes

Model Reduction Methods for Vector Autoregressive Processes

1. 1 Objective of the Study Vector autoregressive (VAR) models have become one of the dominant research tools in the analysis of macroeconomic time series during the last two decades. The great success of this modeling class started with Sims' (1980) critique of the traditional simultaneous equation models (SEM). Sims criticized the use of 'too many incredible restrictions' based on 'supposed a priori knowledge' in large scale macroeconometric models which were popular at that time. Therefore, he advo cated largely unrestricted reduced form multivariate time series models, unrestricted VAR models in particular. Ever since his influential paper these models have been employed extensively to characterize the underlying dynamics in systems of time series. In particular, tools to summarize the dynamic interaction between the system variables, such as impulse response analysis or forecast error variance decompo sitions, have been developed over the years. The econometrics of VAR models and related quantities is now well established and has found its way into various textbooks including inter alia Llitkepohl (1991), Hamilton (1994), Enders (1995), Hendry (1995) and Greene (2002). The unrestricted VAR model provides a general and very flexible framework that proved to be useful to summarize the data characteristics of economic time series. Unfortunately, the flexibility of these models causes severe problems: In an unrestricted VAR model, each variable is expressed as a linear function of lagged values of itself and all other variables in the system.

Model Reduction Methods for Vector Autoregressive Processes

Handbook of Computational Econometrics

Handbook of Computational Econometrics examines the state of the art of computational econometrics and provides exemplary studies dealing with computational issues arising from a wide spectrum of econometric fields including such topics as bootstrapping, the evaluation of econometric software, and algorithms for control, optimization, and estimation. Each topic is fully introduced before proceeding to a more in-depth examination of the relevant methodologies and valuable illustrations. This book: Provides self-contained treatments of issues in computational econometrics with illustrations and invaluable bibliographies. Brings together contributions from leading researchers. Develops the techniques needed to carry out computational econometrics. Features network studies, non-parametric estimation, optimization techniques, Bayesian estimation and inference, testing methods, time-series analysis, linear and nonlinear methods, VAR analysis, bootstrapping developments, signal extraction, software history and evaluation. This book will appeal to econometricians, financial statisticians, econometric researchers and students of econometrics at both graduate and advanced undergraduate levels.