This dissertation consists of three essays on empirical asset pricing. In the first paper, we examine the impact of test criteria in identifying true asset pricing factors. We focus on the Sharpe ratio and pricing performance improvement. While both criteria are exposed to model...

We develop a general approach for stress testing correlations of financial asset portfolios. The correlation matrix of asset returns is specified in a parametric form, where correlations are represented as a function of risk factors, such as country and industry factors. A sparse factor...

We develop a general approach for stress testing correlations of financial asset portfolios. The correlation matrix of asset returns is specified in a parametric form, where correlations are represented as a function of risk factors, such as country and industry factors. A sparse factor...