Small time Edgeworth-type expansions for weakly convergent nonhomogeneous Markov chains

We consider triangular arrays of Markov chains that converge weakly to a diffusion process. Second order Edgeworth type expansions for transition densities are proved. The paper differs from recent results in two respects. We allow nonhomogeneous diffusion limits and we treat transition densities with time lag converging to zero. Small time asymptotics are motivated by statistical applications and by resulting approximations for the joint density of diffusion values at an increasing grid of points.Comment: 58 page

Empirical risk minimization in inverse problems

We study estimation of a multivariate function $f:\mathbf{R}^d\to\mathbf{R}$ when the observations are available from the function $Af$, where $A$ is a known linear operator. Both the Gaussian white noise model and density estimation are studied. We define an $L_2$-empirical risk functional which is used to define a $\delta$-net minimizer and a dense empirical risk minimizer. Upper bounds for the mean integrated squared error of the estimators are given. The upper bounds show how the difficulty of the estimation depends on the operator through the norm of the adjoint of the inverse of the operator and on the underlying function class through the entropy of the class. Corresponding lower bounds are also derived. As examples, we consider convolution operators and the Radon transform. In these examples, the estimators achieve the optimal rates of convergence. Furthermore, a new type of oracle inequality is given for inverse problems in additive models.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/09-AOS726 the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Additive isotone regression

This paper is about optimal estimation of the additive components of a nonparametric, additive isotone regression model. It is shown that asymptotically up to first order, each additive component can be estimated as well as it could be by a least squares estimator if the other components were known. The algorithm for the calculation of the estimator uses backfitting. Convergence of the algorithm is shown. Finite sample properties are also compared through simulation experiments.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/074921707000000355 in the IMS Lecture Notes Monograph Series (http://www.imstat.org/publications/lecnotes.htm) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Estimating Semiparametric ARCH (8) Models by Kernel Smoothing Methods

We investigate a class of semiparametric ARCH(8) models that includes as a special case the partially nonparametric (PNP) model introduced by Engle and Ng (1993) and which allows for both flexible dynamics and flexible function form with regard to the 'news impact' function. We propose an estimation method that is based on kernel smoothing and profiled likelihood. We establish the distribution theory of the parametric components and the pointwise distribution of the nonparametric component of the model. We also discuss efficiency of both the parametric and nonparametric part. We investigate the performance of our procedures on simulated data and on a sample of S&P500 daily returns. We find some evidence of asymmetric news impact functions in the data.ARCH, inverse problem, kernel estimation, news impact curve, nonparametric regression, profile likelihood, semiparametric estimation, volatility

Nonparametric Transformation to White Noise

We consider a semiparametric distributed lag model in which the "news impact curve" m isnonparametric but the response is dynamic through some linear filters. A special case ofthis is a nonparametric regression with serially correlated errors. We propose an estimatorof the news impact curve based on a dynamic transformation that produces white noiseerrors. This yields an estimating equation for m that is a type two linear integral equation.We investigate both the stationary case and the case where the error has a unit root. In thestationary case we establish the pointwise asymptotic normality. In the special case of anonparametric regression subject to time series errors our estimator achieves efficiencyimprovements over the usual estimators, see Xiao, Linton, Carroll, and Mammen (2003). Inthe unit root case our procedure is consistent and asymptotically normal unlike the standardregression smoother. We also present the distribution theory for the parameter estimates,which is non-standard in the unit root case. We also investigate its finite sampleperformance through simulation experiments.Efficiency, Inverse Problem, Kernel Estimation, Nonparametric regression,Time Series, Unit Roots.

Nonparametric Regression on Latent Covariates with an Application to Semiparametric GARCH-in-Mean Models

We consider time series models in which the conditional mean of the response variable given the past depends on latent covariates. We assume that the covariates can be estimated consistently and use an iterative nonparametric kernel smoothing procedure for estimating the conditional mean function. The covariates are assumed to depend (non)parametrically on past values of the covariates and of the observations. Our procedure is based on iterative ¯ts of the covariates and nonparametric kernel smoothing of the conditional mean function. An asymptotic theory for the resulting kernel estimator is developed and the estimator is used for testing parametric speci¯cations of the mean function. Our leading example is a semiparametric class of GARCH-in-Mean models. In this set-up our procedure provides a formal framework for testing economic theories that postulate functional relations between macroeconomic or ¯nancial variables and their conditional second moments. We illustrate the usefulness of the methodology by testing the linear risk-return relation predicted by the ICAPM.Speci¯cation test, GARCH-M, semiparametric regression, risk premium, ICAPM.

Nonparametric estimation of an additive model with a link function

This paper describes an estimator of the additive components of a nonparametric additive model with a known link function. When the additive components are twice continuously differentiable, the estimator is asymptotically normally distributed with a rate of convergence in probability of n-2/5. This is true regardless of the (finite) dimension of the explanatory variable. Thus, in contrast to the existing asymptotically normal estimator, the new estimator has no curse of dimensionality. Moreover, the asymptotic distribution of each additive component is the same as it would be if the other components were known with certainty.

Nonparametric Estimation of an Additive Model With a Link Function

This paper describes an estimator of the additive components of a nonparametric additive model with a known link function. When the additive components are twice continuously differentiable, the estimator is asymptotically normally distributed with a rate of convergence in probability of n^{-2/5}. This is true regardless of the (finite) dimension of the explanatory variable. Thus, in contrast to the existing asymptotically normal estimator, the new estimator has no curse of dimensionality. Moreover, the estimator has an oracle property. The asymptotic distribution of each additive component is the same as it would be if the other components were known with certainty.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/009053604000000814 in the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org