Inference Under Dependence: Time Series, Panels, and Networks

Thomas Wiesen Chair
University of Maine
 
Tuesday, Aug 4: 4:00 PM - 5:50 PM
6040 
Contributed Papers 
Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center 
Room: CC-156B 

Main Sponsor

Business and Economic Statistics Section

Presentations

Asymptotic inference for change-points in time time series under various break-sizes

In this paper, we investigate the asymptotic distribution of a change-point
estimator for piecewise stationary time series across different magnitudes of
break sizes. Specifically, we examine break sizes of order O(1/n^α) for 0 <
α < 1/2, α = 1/2, and α > 1/2, corresponding to large, moderate, and small
break sizes, respectively, where n denotes the sample size. Our results reveal
that the asymptotic distributions in these three regimes differ but are all linked
to the maximizer of certain functions of a two-sided drifted Brownian motion.
To address the practical challenge of unknown break sizes, we introduce an
asymptotically pivotal statistic that is robust across the whole range of break
size regimes on α ∈ [0,∞). This statistic provides a unified approach for
constructing confidence intervals for the change-point without requiring prior
knowledge of the break size. Simulation studies show that the asymptotic
inference performs well under different break sizes, while the pivotal statistic
demonstrates better performance in most scenarios. Applications to financial
time series further highlight the practical relevance of the proposed inference
methods. 

Keywords

piecewise stationary time series models

structural break

pivotal statistic 

Speaker

Chun-Yip Yau, Chinese University of Hong Kong

CLT-Based Inference for QMLE in ARMA Models under Weakly Dependent Innovations: Simulation Evidence and Boundary Cases

This paper studies quasi-maximum likelihood estimation for ARMA(p,q) models under weakly dependent innovation structures, with emphasis on CLT-based inference and its practical behavior across different shock designs. The classical i.i.d. innovation setting is used only as a benchmark for validating the estimation and simulation framework. The main focus is on nontrivial innovation structures, including conditionally heteroskedastic and other weakly dependent cases, together with boundary designs that violate key assumptions. Within this framework, we examine the asymptotic normal approximation for the QMLE and the role of robust covariance estimation for inference. Monte Carlo results show that when the underlying innovation conditions are compatible with the inferential framework, standardized estimators are close to normal and coverage improves with sample size. In contrast, when key assumptions fail, bias persists and interval performance deteriorates even when dispersion is adjusted. The study provides a focused view of how CLT-based inference for ARMA QMLE behaves under benchmark, admissible, and failure cases, and clarifies the practical limits of the methodology. 

Keywords

ARMA models

Quasi-maximum likelihood estimation

central limit theorem

HAC inference

Monte Carlo simulation

Innovation mixing with summable coefficients 

Speaker

Smaila Amoanu

High-Dimensional Spatial Autoregression with Latent Factors by Diversified Projections

We study one particular type of multivariate spatial autoregression (MSAR) model with diverging dimensions in both responses and covariates. This makes the usual MSAR models no longer applicable due to the high computational cost. To address this issue, we propose a factor-augmented spatial autoregression (FSAR) model. FSAR is a special case of MSAR but with a novel factor structure imposed on the high-dimensional random error vector. The latent factors of FSAR are assumed to be of a fixed dimension. Therefore, they can be estimated consistently by the diversified projections method, as long as the dimension of the multivariate response is diverging. Once the fixed-dimensional latent factors are consistently estimated, they are then fed back into the original SAR model and serve as exogenous covariates. This leads to a novel FSAR model. Thereafter, different components of the high-dimensional response can be modeled separately. To handle the high-dimensional feature, a smoothly clipped absolute deviation (SCAD) type penalized estimator is developed for each response component. We show theoretically that the resulting SCAD estimator is uniformly selection consistent, as long as the tuning parameter is selected appropriately. For practical selection of the tuning parameter, a novel BIC method is developed. Extensive numerical studies are conducted to demonstrate the finite sample performance of the proposed method. 

Keywords

Diversified Projections

Factor-Augmented Maximum Likelihood Estimator

High-Dimensional Spatial Data

Latent Factor Model 

Speaker

Jiaxin Shi, Peking University

Co-Author(s)

Xuening Zhu, Fudan University
Jing Zhou, Renmin University of China
Baichen Yu, Peking University
Hansheng Wang, Peking University

Long-horizon return predictability from realized volatility in pure-jump point processes

A novel methodology is developed and justified to consistently test for long-horizon
return predictability based on realized variance. To accomplish this, a parametric
transaction-level model is proposed for the continuous-time log price process based
on a pure-jump point process. The model determines the returns and realized variance
at any level of aggregation with properties shown to be consistent with the stylized
facts in empirical finance. Under the model, the long-memory parameter propagates
unchanged from the transaction-level drift to the calendar-time returns and the realized
variance, leading endogenously to a balanced predictive regression equation. An
asymptotic framework using power-law aggregation is also proposed in the predictive
regression. Within this framework, a hypothesis test is proposed for long-horizon return
predictability which is asymptotically correctly sized and consistent. 

Keywords

Return predictability

Long memory

Predictive regression

Point process

High frequency 

Speaker

Meng-Chen Hsieh

Co-Author

Clifford Hurvich, New York University

Modeling Dynamic Correlation Matrices with Shrinkage Priors

Estimating time-varying correlation matrices is challenging because existing methods may adapt slowly to structural changes, impose insufficient regularization, or produce diffuse posterior uncertainty. In moderate dimensions, an additional difficulty is summarizing the estimated evolving dependence structure for downstream decision-making tasks. We propose a Bayesian approach based on a low-rank factor representation, with latent states evolving under a dynamic shrinkage prior and observation errors following a multivariate factor stochastic volatility model. This specification allows locally adaptive regularization of the estimated correlation structure over time and informative uncertainty quantification. We establish, to our knowledge, a first-of-its-kind posterior contraction result for dynamically regularized Bayesian models, showing contraction around the true model parameters at an explicit rate under averaged Hellinger distance. To summarize the estimated correlation matrices, we build on the information-theoretic concept of total correlation to obtain a scalar measure of cross-sectional dependence. Simulation studies show improved accuracy and responsiveness relative to competing methods in a range of challenging scenarios. We then apply our method to monitoring the correlation evolution of equity portfolios during periods of financial market stress, providing an ex post framework for assessing the changing benefits of diversification in backtesting analyses.  

Keywords

Bayesian time series

dynamic shrinkage prior

posterior contraction

financial risk management

backtesting 

Speaker

Daniel Coulson, Cornell University

Co-Author(s)

Martin Wells, Department of Statistics and Data Science, Cornell University
David Matteson, Cornell University & National Institute of Statistical Sciences

On tail inference in scale-free inhomogeneous random graphs

Both empirical and theoretical investigations of scale-free network models have found that large degrees in a network exert an outsized impact on its structure. However, the tools used to infer the tail behavior of degree distributions in scale-free networks often lack a strong theoretical foundation. In this paper, we introduce a new framework for analyzing the asymptotic distribution of estimators for degree tail indices in scale-free inhomogeneous random graphs. Our framework leverages the relationship between the large weights and large degrees of Norros-Reittu and Chung-Lu random graphs. In particular, we determine a growth rate for the number of nodes k(n) such that for all nodes i ranging from 1 to k(n), the node with the i-th largest weight will have the i-th largest degree with high probability. Such alignment of upper-order statistics is then employed to establish the asymptotic normality of three different tail index estimators based on the upper degrees. 

Keywords

Inhomogeneous random graphs

Tail estimation

Extreme value statistics

Central limit theorem 

Speaker

Daniel Cirkovic, Marquette University

Co-Author(s)

Daren Cline, Texas A&M University
Tiandong Wang, Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences, Fudan University

Quantifying Parameter Heterogeneity Under Endogeneity in Panel Data: An IV Mixed-Effects Approach

This paper studies linear mixed models for longitudinal data when covariates may be correlated with the idiosyncratic error and/or the random effects, biasing both fixed-effect estimates and random-effect predictions. We propose a two-stage linear mixed model instrumental variables estimator (LMMIV) that uses valid instruments to correct endogeneity while preserving the mixed-model structure. Its key novelty is the ability to quantify heterogeneity in all regression parameters, that is, both intercepts and slopes, even when endogeneity is present, rather than focusing only on mean effects or assuming random effects are uncorrelated with regressors. Under standard instrument exogeneity conditions, LMMIV yields consistent fixed effects and unbiased empirical BLUP-style predictions of random effects. Simulations confirm these theoretical results. Applied to a panel of 37 metro systems (1994–2019), we find substantial heterogeneity in demand elasticities: fare −0.86 to 0.12 (mean −0.29), income −0.07 to 0.57 (mean 0.18), and quality of service −0.03 to 0.91 (mean 0.32), with mean effects in line with the literature. 

Keywords

Slope heterogeneity

linear mixed models

endogeneity

instrumental variables 

Speaker

Anupriya Anupriya, Imperial College London

Co-Author

Daniel Graham, Imperial College London