COGARCH Model Research Articles

Data cloning estimation of GARCH and COGARCH models

GARCH models include most of the stylized facts of financial time series and they have been largely used to analyse discrete financial time series. In the last years, continuous-time models based on discrete GARCH models have been also proposed to deal with non-equally spaced observations, as COGARCH model based on Lévy processes. In this paper, we propose to use the data cloning methodology in order to obtain estimators of GARCH and COGARCH model parameters. Data cloning methodology uses a Bayesian approach to obtain approximate maximum likelihood estimators avoiding numerically maximization of the pseudo-likelihood function. After a simulation study for both GARCH and COGARCH models using data cloning, we apply this technique to model the behaviour of some NASDAQ time series.

Limit experiments of GARCH

GARCH is one of the most prominent nonlinear time series models, both widely applied and thoroughly studied. Recently, it has been shown that the COGARCH model (which was introduced a few years ago by Kl\"{u}ppelberg, Lindner and Maller) and Nelson's diffusion limit are the only functional continuous-time limits of GARCH in distribution. In contrast to Nelson's diffusion limit, COGARCH reproduces most of the stylized facts of financial time series. Since it has been proven that Nelson's diffusion is not asymptotically equivalent to GARCH in deficiency, in the present paper, we investigate the relation between GARCH and COGARCH in Le Cam's framework of statistical equivalence. We show that GARCH converges generically to COGARCH, even in deficiency, provided that the volatility processes are observed. Hence, from a theoretical point of view, COGARCH can indeed be considered as a continuous-time equivalent to GARCH. Otherwise, when the observations are incomplete, GARCH still has a limiting experiment, which we call MCOGARCH, which is not equivalent, but nevertheless quite similar, to COGARCH. In the COGARCH model, the jump times can be more random than for the MCOGARCH, a fact practitioners may see as an advantage of COGARCH.

The risk–return tradeoff: A COGARCH analysis of Merton's hypothesis

We analysed daily returns of the CRSP value weighted and equally weighted indices over 1953–2007 in order to test for Merton's theorised relationship between risk and return. Like some previous studies we used a GARCH stochastic volatility approach, employing not only traditional discrete time GARCH models but also using a COGARCH — a newly developed continuous-time GARCH model which allows for a rigorous analysis of unequally spaced data. When a risk–return relationship symmetric to positive or negative returns is postulated, a significant risk premium of the order of 7–8% p.a., consistent with previously published estimates, is obtained. When the model includes an asymmetry effect, the estimated risk premium, still around 7% p.a., becomes insignificant. These results are robust to the use of a value weighted or equally weighted index. The COGARCH model properly allows for unequally spaced time series data. As a sidelight, the model estimates that, during the period from 1953 to 2007, the weekend is equivalent, in volatility terms, to about 0.3–0.5 regular trading days.