Generating Halton sequences using Mata

This paper discusses the advantages of Halton sequences over pseudo- random uniform numbers when using simulation to approximate integrals numeri- cally. We describe two types of sequences and give Mata examples. Finally, we doc- ument the Mata function halton(), currently in release 9.1 of Stata, which com- putes both a Halton sequence and its Hammersley variant. Options to use these point sets are available in the Stata 9 program asmprobit, a multinomial-probit estimator, and in the Stata 9.1 Mata function ghk(), the Geweke – Hajivassiliou – Keane multivariate-normal simulator.