"Approximate Distributions of the Likelihood Ratio Statistic in a Structural Equation with Many Instruments"

This paper studies the properties of Likelihood Ratio (LR) tests associated with the limited information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimators in a structural form estimation when the number of instrumental variables is large. Two types of asymptotic theories are developed to approximate the distribution of the likelihood ratio (LR) statistics under the null hypothesis H0 : ƒÀ = ƒÀ0: the (large sample) asymptotic expansion and the large-Kn asymptotic theory. The size comparison of two modified LR tests based on these two asymptotics is made with Moreira's conditional likelihood ratio (CLR) test and the large K t-test.

"t-Tests in a Structural Equation with Many Instruments"

This paper studies the properties of t-ratios associated with the limited information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimators in a structural form estimation when the number of instrumental variables is large. Asymptotic expansions are made of the distributions of a large K t-ratio statistic under large-Kn asymptotics. A modified t-ratio statistic is proposed from the asymptotic expansion. The power of the large K t-ratio test dominates the AR test, the K-test by Kleibergen (2002), and the conditional LR test by Moreira (2003); and the difference can be substantial when the instruments are weak.

"Asymptotic Expansions of the Distributions of Semi-Parametric Estimators in a Linear Simultaneous Equations System"

Asymptotic expansions are made of the distributions of a class of semi-parametric estimators including the Maximum Empirical Likelihood (MEL) method and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) for the coefficients of a single structural equation in the linear simultaneous equations system. The expansions in terms of the sample size, when the non-centrality parameters increase proportionally, are carried out to the order of O(n-2). Comparisons of the distributions of the MEL and GMM estimators are also made.

Second-order Refinement of Empirical Likelihood for Testing Overidentifying Restrictions

This paper studies second-order properties of the empirical likelihood overidentifying restriction test to check the validity of moment condition models. We show that the empirical likelihood test is Bartlett correctable and suggest second-order refinement methods for the test based on the empirical Bartlett correction and adjusted empirical likelihood. Our second-order analysis supplements the one in Chen and Cui (2007) who considered parameter hypothesis testing for overidentified models. In simulation studies we find that the empirical Bartlett correction and adjusted empirical likelihood assisted by bootstrapping provide reasonable improvements for the properties of the null rejection probabilities.Empirical likelihood, GMM, Overidentification test, Bartlett correction, Higher order analysis

"Improving the Rank-Adjusted Anderson-Rubin Test with Many Instruments and Persistent Heteroscedasticity"

Anderson and Kunitomo (2007) have developed the likelihood ratio criterion, which is called the Rank-Adjusted Anderson-Rubin (RAAR) test, for testing the coefficients of a structural equation in a system of simultaneous equations in econometrics against the alternative hypothesis that the equation of interest is identified. It is related to the statistic originally proposed by Anderson and Rubin (1949, 1950), and also to the test procedures by Kleibergen (2002) and Moreira (2003). We propose a modified procedure of RAAR test, which is suitable for the cases when there are many instruments and the disturbances have persistent heteroscedasticities.

"Asymptotic Expansions and Higher Order Properties of Semi-Parametric Estimators in a System of Simultaneous Equations"

Asymptotic expansions are made for the distributions of the Maximum Empirical Likelihood (MEL) estimator and the Estimating Equation (EE) estimator (or the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) in econometrics) for the coefficients of a single structural equation in a system of linear simultaneous equations, which corresponds to a reduced rank regression model. The expansions in terms of the sample size, when the non-centrality parameters increase proportionally, are carried out to O(n-1). Comparisons of the distributions of the MEL and GMM estimators are made. Also we relate the asymptotic expansions of the distributions of the MEL and GMM estimators to the corresponding expansions for the Limited Information Maximum Likelihood (LIML) and the Two-Stage Least Squares (TSLS) estimators. We give useful information on the higher order properties of alternative estimators including the semi-parametric inefficiency factor under the homoscedasticity assumption.

"On Finite Sample Distributions of the Empirical Likelihood Estimator and the GMM Estimator"

The distributions of the Maximum Empirical Likelihood (MEL) estimator and the Generalized Method o Moments (GMM) estimator for the coe cient o one endogenous variable in a linear structural equation are evaluated numerically.Tables and gures are given for enough values of the parameters to cover most of interest.Comparisons of the distributions of the MEL estimator and the GMM estimator with their asymptotic expansions are made.

"A New Light from Old Wisdoms : Alternative Estimation Methods of Simultaneous Equations and Microeconometric Models"

We compare four different estimation methods for a coefficient of a linear structural equation with instrumental variables. As the classical methods we consider the limited information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimator and the two-stage least squares (TSLS) estimator, and as the semi-parametric estimation methods we consider the maximum empirical likelihood (MEL) estimator and a generalized method of moments (GMM) (or the estimating equation) estimator. Tables and figures are given for enough values of the parameters to cover most of interest. We have found that the LIML estimator has good performance when the number of instruments is large, that is, the micro-econometric models with many instruments or many weak instruments in the terminology of recent econometric literatures. We give a new result on the asymptotic optimality of the LIML estimator when the number of instruments is large.

"A New Light from Old Wisdoms : Alternative Estimation Methods of Simultaneous Equations with Possibly Many Instruments"

We compare four dffierent estimation methods for a coefficient of a linear structural equation with instrumental variables. As the classical methods we consider the limited information maximum likelihood (LIML) estimator and the two-stage least squares (TSLS) estimator, and as the semi-parametric estimation methods we consider the maximum emirical likelihood (MEL) estimator and the generalized method of moments (GMM) (or the estimating equation) estimator. We prove several theorems on the asymptotic optimality of the LIML estimator when the number of instruments is large, which are new as well as old, and we relate them to the results in some recent studies. Tables and figures of the distribution functions of four estimators are given for enough values of the parameters to cover most of interest. We have found that the LIML estimator has good performance when the number of instruments is large, that is, the micro-econometric models with many instruments in the terminology of recent econometric literature.

Second-order Refinement of Empirical Likelihood for Testing Overidentifying Restrictions

This paper studies second-order properties of the empirical likelihood overidentifying restriction test to check the validity of moment condition models. We show that the empirical likelihood test is Bartlett correctable and suggest second-order refinement methods for the test based on the empirical Bartlett correction and adjusted empirical likelihood. Our second-order analysis supplements the one in Chen and Cui (2007) who considered parameter hypothesis testing for overidentified models. In simulation studies we find that the empirical Bartlett correction and adjusted empirical likelihood assisted by bootstrapping provide reasonable improvements for the properties of the null rejection probabilities