This article discusses Windle and Carvalho's (2014) state-space model for observations and latent variables in the space of positive symmetric matrices. The present discussion focuses on the model specification and on the contribution to the positive-value time series literature. I apply the...

Recent empirical evidence suggests that the weekend and holiday calendar effects are much stronger and statistically significant in volatility as opposed to expected returns. This paper seeks an explanation for this empirical finding by undertaking a comprehensive investigation of the predictive...

Macroeconomic forecasting in recessions is not easy due to the inherent asymmetry of business cycle phases and the increased uncertainty about the future path of the teetering economy. I propose a mixed-frequency threshold vector autoregressive model with common stochastic volatility in mean...

In this paper, we show how to estimate the parameters of stochastic volatility models using Bayesian estimation and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations through the approximation of the a-posteriori distribution of parameters. Simulated independent draws are made possible by using...

This paper investigates the existence of spillovers from the housing sector onto consumption and the interest rate for South Africa using a time-varying vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model with stochastic volatility. In this regard, we estimate a three-variable TVP-VAR model comprising of real...

This paper investigates the existence of spillovers from stock prices onto consumption and the interest rate for South Africa using a time-varying vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model with stochastic volatility. In this regard, we estimate a three-variable TVP-VAR model comprising of real...

Particle Filter algorithms for filtering latent states (volatility and jumps) of Stochastic-Volatility Jump-Diffusion (SVJD) models are being explained. Three versions of the SIR particle filter with adapted proposal distributions to the jump occurrences, jump sizes, and both are derived and...

This article discusses the use of Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations (INLA) in inference procedures and construction of unit root tests in stochastic volatility models. This approach allows to obtain accurate analytical approximations for the parameters and latent volatities, representing...

The recent observed decline of business cycle variability suggests that broad macroeconomic risk may have fallen as well. This may in turn have some impact on equity risk premia. We investigate the latent structures in the volatilities of the business cycle and stock market valuations by...

Particle Filter algorithms for filtering latent states (volatility and jumps) of Stochastic-Volatility Jump-Diffusion (SVJD) models are being explained. Three versions of the SIR particle filter with adapted proposal distributions to the jump occurrences, jump sizes, and both are derived and...