Using Exponentially Weighted Quantile Regression to Estimate Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall

We propose exponentially weighted quantile regression (EWQR) for estimating time-varying quantiles. The EWQR cost function can be used as the basis for estimating the time-varying expected shortfall associated with the EWQR quantile forecast. We express EWQR in a kernel estimation framework, and then modify it by adapting a previously proposed double kernel estimator in order to provide greater accuracy for tail quantiles that are changing relatively quickly over time. We introduce double kernel quantile regression, which extends the double kernel idea to the modeling of quantiles in terms of regressors. In our empirical study of 10 stock returns series, the versions of the new methods that do not accommodate the leverage effect were able to outperform GARCH-based methods and CAViaR models. Copyright The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org, Oxford University Press.