Limit theorems in the Fourier transform method for the estimation of multivariate volatility

In this paper, we prove some limit theorems for the Fourier estimator of multivariate volatility proposed by Malliavin and Mancino (2002, 2009) [14] and [15]. In a general framework of discrete time observations we establish the convergence of the estimator and some associated central limit theorems with explicit asymptotic variance. In particular, our results show that this estimator is consistent for synchronous data, but possibly biased for non-synchronous observations. Moreover, from our general central limit theorem, we deduce that the estimator can be efficient in the case of a synchronous regular sampling. In the non-synchronous sampling case, the expression of the asymptotic variance is in general less tractable. We study this case more precisely through the example of an alternate sampling.     

Estimating spot volatility in the presence of infinite variation jumps

We propose a kernel estimator for the spot volatility of a semi-martingale at a given time point by using high frequency data, where the underlying process accommodates a jump part of infinite variation. The estimator is based on the representation of the characteristic function of Lévy processes. The consistency of the proposed estimator is established under some mild assumptions. By assuming that the jump part of the underlying process behaves like a symmetric stable Lévy process around 0, we establish the asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator. In particular, with a specific kernel function, the estimator is variance efficient. We conduct Monte Carlo simulation studies to assess our theoretical results and compare our estimator with existing ones.     

Estimation of the stochastic leverage effect using the Fourier transform method

We define a non-parametric estimator of the integrated leverage effect as the integrated covariation between the logarithmic asset price and its volatility. In Curato and Sanfelici (2015), a consistent estimator of the leverage effect has been introduced through a pre-estimate of the Fourier coefficients of the volatility. This is a novel approach compared to the ones present in the literature which use a pre-estimate of the spot volatility path. In this paper, we show the asymptotic normality of the Fourier estimator for non-equidistant observations. Moreover, its finite sample properties are analyzed in a simulation study also in the presence of microstructure noise.     

Estimation of a multivariate stochastic volatility density by kernel deconvolution

We consider a continuous time stochastic volatility model. The model contains a stationary volatility process. We aim to estimate the multivariate density of the finite-dimensional distributions of this process. We assume that we observe the process at discrete equidistant instants of time. The distance between two consecutive sampling times is assumed to tend to zero.A multivariate Fourier-type deconvolution kernel density estimator based on the logarithm of the squared processes is proposed to estimate the multivariate volatility density. An expansion of the bias and a bound on the variance are derived.     

时间序列中方差的结构变点的小波识别(英文)

本文给出了时间序列中方差的小波系数的两种估计:连续估计和离散估计.这两种估计可以用来检测时间序列中方差的结构变点.利用这两种估计我们给出了方差变点的位置和跳跃幅度的估计,并且显示出这些估计可达到最佳收敛速度.同时,我们还给出了这些估计的收敛速度以及检验统计量的渐进分布!     

Microstructure noise in the continuous case: The pre-averaging approach

This paper presents a generalized pre-averaging approach for estimating the integrated volatility, in the presence of noise. This approach also provides consistent estimators of other powers of volatility — in particular, it gives feasible ways to consistently estimate the asymptotic variance of the estimator of the integrated volatility. We show that our approach, which possesses an intuitive transparency, can generate rate optimal estimators (with convergence rate n^−1/4$n^{-1/4}$).     

Estimation of the offspring mean in a supercritical branching process with non-stationary immigration

In this paper, we consider the conditional least squares estimator (CLSE) of the offspring mean of a branching process with non-stationary immigration based on the observation of population sizes. In the supercritical case, assuming that the immigration variables follow known distributions, conditions guaranteeing the strong consistency of the proposed estimator will be derived. The asymptotic normality of the estimator will also be proved. The proofs are based on direct probabilistic arguments, unlike the previous papers, where functional limit theorems for the process were used.     

Optimal kernel estimation of spot volatility of stochastic differential equations

A unified framework to optimally select the bandwidth and kernel function of spot volatility kernel estimators is put forward. The proposed models include not only classical Brownian motion driven dynamics but also volatility processes that are driven by long-memory fractional Brownian motions or other Gaussian processes. We characterize the leading order terms of the mean squared error, which in turn enables us to determine an explicit formula for the leading term of the optimal bandwidth. Central limit theorems for the estimation error are also obtained. A feasible plug-in type bandwidth selection procedure is then proposed, for which, as a sub-problem, a new estimator of the volatility of volatility is developed. The optimal selection of the kernel function is also investigated. For Brownian Motion type volatilities, the optimal kernel turns out to be an exponential function, while, for fractional Brownian motion type volatilities, easily implementable numerical results to compute the optimal kernels are devised. Simulation studies further confirm the good performance of the proposed methods.     

On valuing and hedging European options when volatility is estimated directly

We quantify the effects on contingent claim valuation of using an estimator for the unknown volatility σ of a geometric Brownian motion (GBM) process. The theme of the paper is to show what difficulties can arise when failing to account for estimation risk. Our narrative uses a direct estimator of volatility based on the sample standard deviation of increments of the underlying Brownian motion. After replacing the direct estimator into the GBM, we derive the resulting distribution function of the approximated GBM for any time point. This allows us to present post-estimation distributions and valuation formulae for an assortment of European contingent claims that are in accord with many of the basic properties of the underlying risk-neutral process, and yet better reflect the additional uncertainties and risks that exist in the Black-Scholes-Merton paradigm.     

Large Deviation Principles of Realized Laplace Transform of Volatility

Journal of Theoretical Probability - Under the scenario of high-frequency data, a consistent estimator of the realized Laplace transform of volatility is proposed by Todorov and Tauchen...     

基于价格极值构建有效价差的广义矩估计

基于Corwin和Schultz(2012)提出的有效价差的High-Low估计,结合价格极值信息得到新的一阶矩条件,构造了有效价差的广义矩估计。随后通过随机数值模拟比较了基于价格极值的广义矩估计(GMM)与Roll的协方差估计、Bayes估计以及Corwin和Schultz的High-Low估计在多种不同状态下的估计精度。数值模拟结果显示,无论在交易连续的理想状态下还是交易不连续且波动率相对不高的非理想状态下,GMM估计的精度均高于其余三种估计;基于我国股票市场的实例分析,也表明GMM估计的估计精度优于其余三种估计。因此,GMM估计为度量金融资产的交易成本提供了一种有效方法。     

Forgetting the initial distribution for Hidden Markov Models

The forgetting of the initial distribution for discrete Hidden Markov Models (HMM) is addressed: a new set of conditions is proposed, to establish the forgetting property of the filter, at a polynomial and geometric rate. Both a pathwise-type convergence of the total variation distance of the filter started from two different initial distributions, and a convergence in expectation are considered. The results are illustrated using different HMM of interest: the dynamic tobit model, the nonlinear state space model and the stochastic volatility model.     

Volatility estimation for stochastic PDEs using high-frequency observations

We study the parameter estimation for parabolic, linear, second-order, stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs) observing a mild solution on a discrete grid in time and space. A high-frequency regime is considered where the mesh of the grid in the time variable goes to zero. Focusing on volatility estimation, we provide an explicit and easy to implement method of moments estimator based on squared increments. The estimator is consistent and admits a central limit theorem. This is established moreover for the joint estimation of the integrated volatility and parameters in the differential operator in a semi-parametric framework. Starting from a representation of the solution of the SPDE with Dirichlet boundary conditions as an infinite factor model and exploiting mixing-type properties of time series, the theory considerably differs from the statistics for semi-martingales literature. The performance of the method is illustrated in a simulation study.     

高频数据连续部分杠杆效应的估计

对股票价格与其波动率之间的负相关性的发现,引发了对高频金融数据杠杆效应的研究热潮.对于高频数据连续时间条件下满足伊藤半鞅模型的对数价格过程和波动率过程,定义了连续部分杠杆效应(CLE),并用临近窗口和向下截断方法,采用二次变差来构造相应的估计量,进一步研究了该估计量的相合性和渐近正态性,最后给出了定理证明.     

带复合泊松跳扩散模型的点波动率门限估计量的渐近性质

本文研究了带复合泊松跳扩散模型的点波动率门限估计量的渐近性质.利用门限方法和核函数技术,构造并证明了此模型点波动率估计量的渐近正态性.同时,应用Grtner-Ellis定理及大偏差中的Delta方法,得到了估计量的中偏差原理.     

Parametric estimation of discretely sampled Gamma-OU processes

The stationary Gamma-OU processes are recommended to be the volatility of the financial assets. A parametric estimation for the Gamma-OU processes based on the discrete observations is considered in this paper. The estimator of an intensity parameter A and its convergence result are given, and the simulations show that the estimation is quite accurate. Assuming that the parameter A is estimated, the maximum likelihood estimation of shape parameter c and scale parameter a, whose likelihood function is not explicitly computable, is considered. By means of the Gaver-Stehfest algorithm, we construct an explicit sequence of approximations to the likelihood function and show that it converges the true (but unkown) one. Maximizing the sequence results in an estimator that converges to the true maximum likelihood estimator and the approximation shares the asymptotic properties of the true maximum likelihood estimator. Some simulation experiments reveal that this method is still quite accurate in most of rational situations for the background of volatility.     

Consistent estimation of the intensity function of a cyclic Poisson process

We construct and investigate a consistent kernel-type nonparametric estimator of the intensity function of a cyclic Poisson process when the period is unknown. We do not assume any particular parametric form for the intensity function, nor do we even assume that it is continuous. Moreover, we consider the situation when only a single realization of the Poisson process is available, and only in a bounded window. We prove, in particular, that the proposed estimator is consistent when the size of the window indefinitely expands. We also obtain complete convergence of the estimator.     

An efficient control variate method for pricing variance derivatives

This paper studies the pricing of variance swap derivatives with stochastic volatility by the control variate method. A closed form solution is derived for the approximate model with deterministic volatility, which plays the key role in the paper, and an efficient control variate technique is therefore proposed when the volatility obeys the log-normal process. By the analysis of moments for the underlying processes, the optimal volatility function in the approximate model is constructed. The numerical results show the high efficiency of our method; the results coincide with the theoretical results. The idea in the paper is also applicable for the valuation of other types of variance swap, options with stochastic volatility and other financial derivatives with multi-factor models.     

Central limit theorems for realized volatility under hitting times of an irregular grid

We consider a continuous semi-martingale sampled at hitting times of an irregular grid. The goal of this work is to analyze the asymptotic behavior of the realized volatility under this rather natural observation scheme. This framework strongly differs from the well understood situations when the sampling times are deterministic or when the grid is regular. Indeed, neither Gaussian approximations nor symmetry properties can be used. In this setting, as the distance between two consecutive barriers tends to zero, we establish central limit theorems for the normalized error of the realized volatility. In particular, we show that there is no bias in the limiting process.     

On the limiting spectral distribution of the covariance matrices of time-lagged processes

We consider two continuous-time Gaussian processes, one being partially correlated to a time-lagged version of the other. We first give the limiting spectral distribution for the covariance matrices of the increments of the processes when the span between two observations tends to zero. Then, we derive the limiting distribution of the eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrices. This result is obtained when the number of paths of the processes is asymptotically proportional to the number of observations for each single path. As an application, we use the second moment of this distribution together with auxiliary volatility and correlation estimates to construct an adaptive estimator of the time lag between the two processes. Finally, we provide an asymptotic theory for our estimation procedure.