We propose a novel econometric model for estimating and forecasting cross-sections of time-varying conditional default probabilities. The model captures the systematic variation in corporate default counts across e.g. rating and industry groups by using dynamic factors from a large panel of...

We propose a new econometric framework for estimating and forecasting the default intensities of corporate credit subject to observed and unobserved risk factors. The model combines common factors from macroeconomic and financial covariates with an unobserved latent (frailty) component for...

A new empirical reduced-form model for credit rating transitions is introduced. It is a parametric intensity-based duration model with multiple states and driven by exogenous covariates and latent dynamic factors. The model has a generalized semi-Markov structure designed to accommodate many of...

We model 1981-2002 annual US default frequencies for a panel of firms in different rating and age classes. The data is decomposed into a systematic and firm-specific risk component, where the systematic component reflects the general economic conditions and default climate. We have to cope with...

In this paper we aim to measure actual volatility within a model-based framework using high-frequency data. In the empirical finance literature it is known that tick-by-tick prices are subject to market micro-structure such as bid-ask bounces and trade information. Such market micro-structure...

The increasing availability of financial market data at intraday frequencies has not only led to the development of improved volatility measurements but has also inspired research into their potential value as an information source for volatility forecasting. In this paper we explore the...

Various economic theories are available to explain the existence of credit and default cycles. There remains empirical ambiguity, however, as to whether or these cycles coincide. Recent papers suggest by their empirical research set-up that they do, or at least that defaults and credit spreads...

Although the main interest in the modelling of electricity prices is often on volatility aspects, we argue that stochastic heteroskedastic behaviour in prices can only be modelled correctly when the conditional mean of the time series is properly modelled. In this paper we consider different...

We model 1927-1997 U.S. business failure rates using a time series approach based on unobserved components. Clear evidence is found of cyclical behaviour in default rates. The cycle has a period of around 10 years. We also detect longer term movements in default rates and default correlations....

The increasing availability of financial market data at intraday frequencies has not only led to the development of improved ex-post volatility measurements but has also inspired research into their potential value as an information source for longer horizon volatility forecasts. In this paper...