We propose new methods for estimating the bid-ask spread from observed transaction prices alone. Our methods are based on the empirical characteristic function instead of the sample autocovariance function like the method of Roll (1984). As in Roll (1984), we have a closed form expression for...

We discuss a number of issues in the smoothed nonparametric estimation of kernel conditional probability density functions for stationary processes. The kernel conditional density estimate is a ratio of joint and marginal density estimates. We point out the different implications of leading...

This paper considers the class of p-dimensional elliptic distributions (p ≥ 1) satisfying the consistency property (Kano, 1994) and within this general framework presents a two-stage semiparametric estimator for the Lebesgue density based on Gaussian mixture sieves. Under the on-line...

The so-called leverage hypothesis is that negative shocks to prices/ returns affect volatility more than equal positive shocks. Whether this is attributable to changing financial leverage is still subject to dispute but the terminology is in wide use. There are many tests of the leverage...