We develop a systematic approach for evaluating asset pricing models based on the second Hansen-Jagannathan distance (HJD), which requires a good asset pricing model to not only have small pricing errors but also be arbitrage free. Our approach includes a specification test and a sequence of...

We extend the maximum likelihood estimation method of Ait-Sahalia (2002) for time-homogeneous diffusions to time-inhomogeneous ones. We derive a closed-form approximation of the likelihood function for discretely sampled time-inhomogeneous diffusions, and prove that this approximation converges...

The traditional futures hedge ratio (hT) is calculated ex post via economically structureless statistical analysis. Its lack of an economic foundation makes it inefficient and elevates its risk of error due to a regime shift. This paper proposes an ex ante, more efficient, carry cost rate (c)...

Since the 1970s, futures hedge ratios have traditionally been calculated ex-post using an economically structure-less statistical analysis. This paper proposes an ex-ante, more efficient, less computationally demanding, general “carry cost rate” based hedge ratio. Though the proposed hedge...

This paper develops a new methodology for estimating and testing conditional factor models in finance. We propose a two-stage procedure that naturally unifies the two existing approaches in the finance literature -- the parametric approach and the nonparametric approach. Our combined approach...

This paper develops a new methodology for estimating and testing conditional factor models in finance. We propose a two-stage procedure that naturally unifies the two existing approaches in the finance literature -- the parametric approach and the nonparametric approach. Our combined approach...

We characterize the dynamics of the U.S. short-term interest rate using a Markov regime switching model. Using a test developed by Garcia (1998), we show that there are two regimes in the data: In one regime, the short rate behaves like a random walk with low volatility; in another regime, it...

We show that the well-known model of market survival of Brown, Goetzmann and Ross (1995) fails to explain the quot;equity premium puzzle.quot; The reasons are (1) the survival bias implied by the model is too small; (2) the model predicts rapidly declining of survival bias in the equity premium...

We propose two nonparametric transition density-based speciÞcation tests for continuous-time diffusion models. In contrast to marginal density as used in the literature, transition density can capture the full dynamics of a diffusion process, and in particular, can distinguish processes with...

In this paper, we develop a new optimization model for capital rationing with uncertain project returns. Our model maximizes the probability of meeting a pre-defined target return by selecting a feasible set of projects subject to budget constraints in multiple time periods. We employ a...