Asymptotic and finite sample properties for multivariate rotated GARCH models

This paper derives the statistical properties of a two-step approach to estimating multivariate rotated GARCH-BEKK (RBEKK) models. From the definition of RBEKK, the unconditional covariance matrix is estimated in the first step to rotate the observed variables in order to have the identity matrix for its sample covariance matrix. In the second step, the remaining parameters are estimated by maximizing the quasi-log-likelihood function. For this two-step quasi-maximum likelihood (2sQML) estimator, this paper shows consistency and asymptotic normality under weak conditions. While second-order moments are needed for the consistency of the estimated unconditional covariance matrix, the existence of the finite sixth-order moments is required for the convergence of the second-order derivatives of the quasi-log-likelihood function. This paper also shows the relationship between the asymptotic distributions of the 2sQML estimator for the RBEKK model and variance targeting quasi-maximum likelihood estimator for the VT-BEKK model. Monte Carlo experiments show that the bias of the 2sQML estimator is negligible and that the appropriateness of the diagonal specification depends on the closeness to either the diagonal BEKK or the diagonal RBEKK models. An empirical analysis of the returns of stocks listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average indicates that the choice of the diagonal BEKK or diagonal RBEKK models changes over time, but most of the differences between the two forecasts are negligible.