A Class of Non-Gaussian State Space Models With Exact Likelihood Inference. Issue 4 (2nd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Creal, Drew D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of business & economic statistics. Volume 35:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 585
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2017-10-02
• Subjects: Markov switching -- State space models -- Stochastic intensity -- Stochastic volatility; Economics -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; Commercial statistics -- Periodicals; Économie politique -- Méthodes statistiques -- Périodiques; Statistique commerciale -- Périodiques; 330.015195
• DOI: 10.1080/07350015.2015.1092977
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0735-0015

Abstract

Abstract : The likelihood function of a general nonlinear, non-Gaussian state space model is a high-dimensional integral with no closed-form solution. In this article, I show how to calculate the likelihood function exactly for a large class of non-Gaussian state space models that include stochastic intensity, stochastic volatility, and stochastic duration models among others. The state variables in this class follow a nonnegative stochastic process that is popular in econometrics for modeling volatility and intensities. In addition to calculating the likelihood, I also show how to perform filtering and smoothing to estimate the latent variables in the model. The procedures in this article can be used for either Bayesian or frequentist estimation of the model's unknown parameters as well as the latent state variables. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.