Efficient estimation for semivarying-coefficient models

Motivated by two practical problems, we propose a new procedure for estimating a semivarying-coefficient model. Asymptotic properties are established which show that the bias of the parameter estimator is of order h-super-3 when a symmetric kernel is used, where h is the bandwidth, and the variance is of order n-super- - 1 and efficient in the semiparametric sense. Undersmoothing is unnecessary for the root-n consistency of the estimators. Therefore, commonly used bandwidth selection methods can be employed. A model selection method is also developed. Simulations demonstrate how the proposed method works. Some insights are obtained into the two motivating problems by using the proposed models. Copyright Biometrika Trust 2004, Oxford University Press.