Volatility forecasting via SVR–GARCH with mixture of Gaussian kernels

The support vector regression (SVR) is a supervised machine learning technique that has been successfully employed to forecast financial volatility. As the SVR is a kernel-based technique, the choice of the kernel has a great impact on its forecasting accuracy. Empirical results show that SVRs with hybrid kernels tend to beat single-kernel models in terms of forecasting accuracy. Nevertheless, no application of hybrid kernel SVR to financial volatility forecasting has been performed in previous researches. Given that the empirical evidence shows that the stock market oscillates between several possible regimes, in which the overall distribution of returns it is a mixture of normals, we attempt to find the optimal number of mixture of Gaussian kernels that improve the one-period-ahead volatility forecasting of SVR based on GARCH(1,1). The forecast performance of a mixture of one, two, three and four Gaussian kernels are evaluated on the daily returns of Nikkei and Ibovespa indexes and compared with SVR–GARCH with Morlet wavelet kernel, standard GARCH, Glosten–Jagannathan–Runkle (GJR) and nonlinear EGARCH models with normal, student-t, skew-student-t and generalized error distribution (GED) innovations by using mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE) and robust Diebold–Mariano test. The results of the out-of-sample forecasts suggest that the SVR–GARCH with a mixture of Gaussian kernels can improve the volatility forecasts and capture the regime-switching behavior.     

最优波动率模型选择及其在黄金市场中的应用

文章先总结了波动率模型过去的研究，并对不同波动率模型的评估提出三种方法，然后讨论了这些方法在黄金市场波动率预测中的应用。通过分析黄金市场1975年到2004年的数据，得出的结论是，如果基于样本外四期预测误差的评估，EWMA模型较优；如果基于样本外四期预测的R平方的评估，T-GARCH模型较优；如果基于VAR损失函数的真实性检验评估，EWMA模型较优。最后对未来关于金融市场波动率的研究提出一些建议。     

Forecasting the volatility of crude oil futures using intraday data

We use the information in intraday data to forecast the volatility of crude oil at a horizon of 1–66 days using a variety of models relying on the decomposition of realized variance in its positive or negative (semivariances) part and its continuous or discontinuous part (jumps). We show the importance of these decompositions in predictive (in-sample) regressions using a number of specifications. Nevertheless, an important empirical finding comes from an out-of-sample analysis which unambiguously shows the limited interest of considering these components. Overall, our results indicates that a simple autoregressive specification mimicking long memory and using past realized variances as predictors does not perform significantly worse than more sophisticated models which include the various components of realized variance.     

基于修正的已实现阈值幂变差的股市跳跃波动行为研究

基于非参数统计方法,利用考虑金融资产价格跳跃和杠杆效应的时点波动估计方法修正已实现阈值幂变差,构造甄别跳跃的检验统计量,对金融资产价格中的随机波动、有限活跃跳跃和无限活跃跳跃等问题进行综合研究。为同时吸收波动率的异方差集聚效应和收益率的非对称效应,对原有的已实现波动率异质自回归预测模型进行拓展,将非对称的异质性自回归模型的误差项设定为GARCH模型,以考察跳跃波动序列与连续波动序列之间的复杂关系。利用沪深股指高频数据进行实证研究,包括进行跳跃识别,跳跃活动程度检验和波动率预测效果对比。研究结果表明,沪深股市同时存在布朗运动成分、有限活跃跳跃和无限活跃跳跃成分,其中连续路径方差占主体。同时,收益和波动间的杠杆效应显著,无论短期还是长期,连续波动和跳跃波动对波动率的预测均具有显著影响,同时考虑股价的跳跃、波动和杠杆效应因素有助于更准确地刻画资产价格动态过程。     

基于非参数GARCH模型的中国股市波动性预测

本文采用上证综合指数和深证成份指数1997年1月2日—2005年6月30日的每日收盘价对数百分收益率为样本,运用非参数GARCH(1,1)模型研究了中国股票市场的波动性,并与参数GARCH(1,1)模型的估计结果进行了比较,最后利用六种预测误差度量指标比较了这两种模型的样本内及样本外预测能力,结果发现,非参数GARCH(1,1)模型对股市波动性的预测精度有明显提高。     

基于高频波动率模型与R-vine copula的行业资产组合风险测度研究

相较于低频波动率模型,高频波动率模型在单资产的波动和风险预测中均取得了更好效果,因此如何将高频波动率模型引入组合风险分析具有重要的理论和现实意义。本文以沪深300指数中的6种行业高频数据为例,运用滚动时间窗技术建立9类已实现波动率异质自回归(HAR-RV-type)模型刻画行业指数波动,同时使用R-vine copula模型描述行业资产间相依结构,进一步结合均值-CVaR模型优化行业资产组合投资比例,构建组合风险的预期损失模型,并通过返回测试比较不同风险模型的精度差异。研究结果表明:将HAR族高频波动率模型引入组合风险分析框架,能够有效预测行业资产组合风险状况;高频波动率预测的准确性将进而影响组合风险测度效果,跳跃、符号跳跃变差以及符号正向、负向跳跃变差均有助于提高行业组合风险的预测精度。     

Sudden changes in variance and time varying hedge ratios

This paper analyzes the influence of sudden changes in the unconditional volatility on the estimation and forecast of volatility and its impact on futures hedging strategies. We employ several multivariate GARCH models to estimate the optimal hedge ratios for the Spanish stock market including in each one some well-known patterns that may affect volatility forecasts (asymmetry and sudden changes). The main empirical results show that more complex models including sudden changes in volatility outperform the simpler models in hedging effectiveness both with in-sample and out-of-sample analysis. However, the evidence is stronger when the loss distribution tail is used as a measure for the effectiveness (Value at Risk (VaR) and Expected Shortfall (ES)) suggesting that traditional measures based on the variance of the hedged portfolio should be used with caution.     

基于双因子已实现GARCH模型的波动率预测研究

准确地预测金融市场的波动率对市场管理者和参与者而言都是至关重要的。本文在标准已实现GARCH模型基础上,将条件方差乘性分解为长期方差和短期方差两部分,分别构造包含杠杆函数的长期方差方程和短期方差方程,用以捕捉波动率的长记忆性和短期微观波动。运用上证综指和日经指数的日收盘价、已实现方差和已实现核波动此类高频数据进行实证分析,结果表明:与标准已实现GARCH模型相比,两指数的双因子已实现GARCH模型在样本内表现出更大的似然估计值;通过样本外误差函数分析和DM检验,双因子已实现GARCH模型也取得更好表现。     

Bayesian modeling and forecasting of Value‐at‐Risk via threshold realized volatility

This study proposes a threshold realized generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) model that jointly models daily returns and realized volatility, thereby taking into account the bias and asymmetry of realized volatility. We incorporate this threshold realized GARCH model with skew Student‐t innovations as the observation equation, view this model as a sharp transition model, and treat the realized volatility as a proxy for volatility under this nonlinear structure. Through the Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method, the model can jointly estimate the parameters in the return equation, the volatility equation, and the measurement equation. As an illustration, we conduct a simulation study and apply the proposed method to the US and Japan stock markets. Based on quantile forecasting and volatility estimation, we find that the threshold heteroskedastic framework with realized volatility successfully models the asymmetric dynamic structure. We also investigate the predictive ability of volatility by comparing the proposed model with the traditional GARCH model as well as some popular asymmetric GARCH and realized GARCH models. This threshold realized GARCH model with skew Student‐t innovations outperforms the competing risk models in out‐of‐sample volatility and Value‐at‐Risk forecasting.     

机制转换条件下股市收益率跳跃行为研究:基于RS-ARJI模型的以中国股市为例的实证分析

为检验股市收益率机制转换特性,考察机制转换条件下股市收益率的跳跃特征,以及在不同机制下跳跃行为对股市收益率的冲击效应,将Markov机制转换思想引入自回归跳跃(ARJI)模型,构建一个机制转换自回归跳跃(RS-ARM)模型.基于该模型对中国股市进行实证研究,结果表明:股市存在高、低波动两种机制,高波动时期的跳跃幅度和强度及其对股市收益率的冲击均大于低波动时期.同时,波动率估计和预测评价指标显示,RS-ARJI模型优于目前被广泛使用的GARCH模型和ARJI模型.     

Simultaneous pursuit of out-of-sample performance and sparsity in index tracking portfolios

Index tracking is a passive investment strategy in which a fund (e.g., an ETF: exchange traded fund) manager purchases a set of assets to mimic a market index. The tracking error, i.e., the difference between the performances of the index and the portfolio, may be minimized by buying all the assets contained in the index. However, this strategy results in a considerable transaction cost and, accordingly, decreases the return of the constructed portfolio. On the other hand, a portfolio with a small cardinality may result in poor out-of-sample performance. Of interest is, thus, constructing a portfolio with good out-of-sample performance, while keeping the number of assets invested in small (i.e., sparse). In this paper, we develop a tracking portfolio model that addresses the above conflicting requirements by using a combination of L0- and L2-norms. The L2-norm regularizes the overdetermined system to impose smoothness (and hence has better out-of-sample performance), and it shrinks the solution to an equally-weighted dense portfolio. On the other hand, the L0-norm imposes a cardinality constraint that achieves sparsity (and hence a lower transaction cost). We propose a heuristic method for estimating portfolio weights, which combines a greedy search with an analytical formula embedded in it. We demonstrate that the resulting sparse portfolio has good tracking and generalization performance on historic data of weekly and monthly returns on the Nikkei 225 index and its constituent companies.     

A conditional-SGT-VaR approach with alternative GARCH models

This paper proposes a conditional technique for the estimation of VaR and expected shortfall measures based on the skewed generalized t (SGT) distribution. The estimation of the conditional mean and conditional variance of returns is based on ten popular variations of the GARCH model. The results indicate that the TS-GARCH and EGARCH models have the best overall performance. The remaining GARCH specifications, except in a few cases, produce acceptable results. An unconditional SGT-VaR performs well on an in-sample evaluation and fails the tests on an out-of-sample evaluation. The latter indicates the need to incorporate time-varying mean and volatility estimates in the computation of VaR and expected shortfall measures.     

Medium‐term horizon volatility forecasting: A comparative study

In this paper, volatility is estimated and then forecast using unobserved components‐realized volatility (UC‐RV) models as well as constant volatility and GARCH models. With the objective of forecasting medium‐term horizon volatility, various prediction methods are employed: multi‐period prediction, variable sampling intervals and scaling. The optimality of these methods is compared in terms of their forecasting performance. To this end, several UC‐RV models are presented and then calibrated using the Kalman filter. Validation is based on the standard errors on the parameter estimates and a comparison with other models employed in the literature such as constant volatility and GARCH models. Although we have volatility forecasting for the computation of Value‐at‐Risk in mind the methodology presented has wider applications. This investigation into practical volatility forecasting complements the substantial body of work on realized volatility‐based modelling in business. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Common volatility and correlation clustering in asset returns

We present a new multivariate framework for the estimation and forecasting of the evolution of financial asset conditional correlations. Our approach assumes return innovations with time dependent covariances. A Cholesky decomposition of the asset covariance matrix, with elements written as sines and cosines of spherical coordinates allows for modelling conditional variances and correlations and guarantees its positive definiteness at each time t. As in Christodoulakis and Satchell [Christodoulakis, G.A., Satchell, S.E., 2002. Correlated ARCH (CorrARCH): Modelling the time-varying conditional correlation between financial asset returns. European Journal of Operational Research 139 (2), 350–369] correlation is generated by conditionally autoregressive processes, thus allowing for an autocorrelation structure for correlation. Our approach allows for explicit out-of-sample forecasting and is consistent with stylized facts as time-varying correlations and correlation clustering, co-movement between correlation coefficients, correlation and volatility as well as between volatility processes (co-volatility). The latter two are shown to depend on correlation and volatility persistence. Empirical evidence on a trivariate model using monthly data from Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq Composite and the 3-month US Treasury Bill yield supports our theoretical arguments.     

Improving density forecast by modeling asymmetric features: An application to S&P500 returns

A density forecast is an estimate of the probability distribution of the possible future values of a random variable. From the current literature, an economic time series may have three types of asymmetry: asymmetry in unconditional distribution, asymmetry in conditional distribution, volatility asymmetry. In this paper, we propose three density forecasting methods under two-piece normal assumption to capture these asymmetric features. A GARCH model with two-piece normal distribution is developed to capture asymmetries in the conditional distributions. In this approach, we first estimate parameters of a GARCH model by assuming normal innovations, and then fit a two-piece normal distribution to the empirical residuals. Block bootstrap procedure, and moving average method with two-piece normal distribution are presented for volatility asymmetry and asymmetry in the conditional distributions. Application of the developed methods to the weekly S&P500 returns illustrates that forecast quality can be significantly improved by modeling these asymmetric features.     

Estimating value at risk with semiparametric support vector quantile regression

Value at Risk (VaR) has been used as an important tool to measure the market risk under normal market. Usually the VaR of log returns is calculated by assuming a normal distribution. However, log returns are frequently found not normally distributed. This paper proposes the estimation approach of VaR using semiparametric support vector quantile regression (SSVQR) models which are functions of the one-step-ahead volatility forecast and the length of the holding period, and can be used regardless of the distribution. We find that the proposed models perform better overall than the variance-covariance and linear quantile regression approaches for return data on S&P 500, NIKEI 225 and KOSPI 200 indices.     

Short-run electricity load forecasting with combinations of stationary wavelet transforms

Short-term forecasting of electricity load is an essential issue for the management of power systems and for energy trading. Specific modeling approaches are needed given the strong seasonality and volatility in load data. In this paper, we investigate the benefit of combining stationary wavelet transforms to produce one day-ahead forecasts of half-hourly electric load in France. First, we assess the advantage of decomposing the aggregate load into several subseries with a wavelet transform. Each component is predicted separately and aggregated to get the final forecast. One innovation of this paper is to propose several approaches to deal with the boundary problem which is particularly detrimental in electricity load forecasting. Second, we examine the benefit of combining forecasts over individual models. An extensive out-of-sample evaluation shows that a careful treatment of the border effect is required in the multiresolution analysis. Combinations including the wavelet predictions provide the most accurate forecasts. This result is valid with several assumptions about the forecast error in temperature and for different types of hours (peak, normal, off-peak), different days of the week and various forecasting periods.     

基于混合密度网络模型拟合收益统计分布与计算Expected Shortfall

基于混合密度网络模型估计金融时间序列的时变条件密件,提出数值模拟方法计算ExpectedShortfall。对香港恒生指数的实证研究表明,混合密度网络可以有效地描述收益的经验分布统计特征和波动规律,模型评估指标反映出预测效果良好,Value-at-R isk的预测精度在高端分位点表现较好,且可有效计算Expected shortfall指标,是金融市场风险测量的有效方法。     

Realized volatility with stochastic sampling

A central limit theorem for the realized volatility of a one-dimensional continuous semimartingale based on a general stochastic sampling scheme is proved. The asymptotic distribution depends on the sampling scheme, which is written explicitly in terms of the asymptotic skewness and kurtosis of returns. Conditions for the central limit theorem to hold are examined for several concrete examples of schemes. Lower bounds for mean squared error and for asymptotic conditional variance are given, which are attained by using a specific sampling scheme.     

Pricing VIX options in a 3/2 plus jumps model

This paper proposes and makes a study of a new model (called the 3/2 plus jumps model) for VIX option pricing. The model allows the mean-reversion speed and volatility of volatility to be highly sensitive to the actual level of VIX. In particular, the positive volatility skew is addressed by the 3/2 plus jumps model. Daily calibration is used to prove that the proposed model preserves its validity and reliability for both in-sample and out-of-sample tests. The results show that the models are capable of fitting the market price while generating positive volatility skew.