Portfolio selection has a long tradition in financial economics and plays an integral role in investment management. Portfolio selection provides the framework to determine optimal portfolio choice from a universe of available investments. However, the asset weightings from portfolio selection are optimal only if the empirical characteristics of asset returns do not violate the portfolio selection model assumptions. This thesis explores the empirical characteristics of traditional assets and hedge fund returns and examines their effects on the assumptions of linearity-in-the-mean testing and portfolio selection. The encompassing theme of this thesis is the empirical interplay between traditional assets and hedge fund returns. Despite the paucity of hedge fund research, pension funds continue to increase their portfolio allocations to global hedge funds in an effort to pursue higher risk-adjusted returns. This thesis presents three empirical studies which provide positive insights into the relationships between traditional assets and hedge fund returns. The first two empirical studies examine an emerging body of literature which suggests that the relationship between traditional assets and hedge fund returns is non-linear. For mean-variance investors, non-linear asset returns are problematic as they do not satisfy the assumption of linearity required for the covariance matrix in portfolio selection. To examine the linearity assumption as it relates to a mean-variance investor, a hypothesis test approach is employed which investigates the linearity-in-the-mean of traditional assets and hedge funds. The findings from the first two empirical studies reveal that conventional linearity-in-the-mean tests incorrectly conclude that asset returns are nonlinear. We demonstrate that the empirical characteristics of heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation in asset returns are the primary sources of test mis-specification in these linearity-in-the-mean hypothesis tests. To address this problem, an innovative approach is proposed to control heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation in the underlying tests and it is shown that traditional assets and hedge funds are indeed linear-in-the-mean. The third and final study of this thesis explores traditional assets and hedge funds in a portfolio selection framework. Following the theme of the previous two studies, the effects of heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation are examined in the portfolio selection context. The characteristics of serial correlation in bond and hedge fund returns are shown to cause a downward bias in the second sample moment. This thesis proposes two methods to control for this effect and it is shown that autocorrelation induces an overallocation to bonds and hedge funds. Whilst heteroscedasticity cannot be directly examined in portfolio selection, empirical evidence suggests that heteroscedastic events (such as those that occurred in August 1998) translate into the empirical feature known as tail-risk. The effects of tail-risk are examined by comparing the portfolio decisions of mean-variance analysis (MVA) versus mean-conditional value at risk (M-CVaR) investors. The findings reveal that the volatility of returns in a MVA portfolio decreases when hedge funds are included in the investment opportunity set. However, the reduction in the volatility of portfolio returns comes at a cost of undesirable third and fourth moments. Furthermore, it is shown that investors with M-CVaR preferences exhibit a decreasing demand for hedge funds as their aversion for tail-risk increases. The results of the thesis highlight the sensitivities of linearity tests and portfolio selection to the empirical features of heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation and tail-risk. This thesis contributes to the literature by providing refinements to these frameworks which allow improved inferences to be made when hedge funds are examined in linearity and portfolio selection settings.

Cette thèse aborde l'étude de la fonction cérébrale en Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique (IRM) à l'aide de deux séquences : l'IRM fonctionnelle (IRMf) BOLD et l'imagerie de perfusion par marquage de spins (ASL). Dans ce contexte, les analyses de groupe jouent un rôle important dans l'identification des dysfonctionnements globaux associés à une pathologie. D'autre part, les études individuelles, qui fournissent des conclusions au niveau d'un sujet unique, présentent un intérêt croissant. Dans ce travail, nous abordons à la fois les études de groupe et les analyses individuelles. Dans un premier temps, nous réalisons une analyse de groupe en IRMf BOLD en vue d'étudier la dysphasie chez l'enfant, une pathologie peu explorée en neuroimagerie. Nous mettons ainsi en évidence un fonctionnement et une latéralisation atypiques des aires langagières. Ensuite, nous nous concentrons sur les analyses individuelles. Nous proposons l'utilisation d'estimateurs robustes pour calculer les cartographies de débit sanguin cérébral en ASL. Ensuite, nous étudions la validité des hypothèses qui sous-tendent les analyses statistiques standard dans le contexte de l'ASL. Finalement, nous proposons une nouvelle méthode localement multivariée basée sur une approche a contrario. La validation de cette nouvelle approche est réalisée dans deux contextes applicatifs : la détection d'anomalies de perfusion en ASL et la détection de zones d'activation en IRMf BOLD. / This thesis deals with the analysis of brain function in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using two sequences: BOLD functional MRI (fMRI) and Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL). In this context, group statistical analyses are of great importance in order to understand the general mechanisms underlying a pathology, but there is also an increasing interest towards patient-specific analyses that draw conclusions at the patient level. Both group and patient-specific analyses are studied in this thesis. We first introduce a group analysis in BOLD fMRI for the study of specific language impairment, a pathology that was very little investigated in neuroimaging. We outline atypical patterns of functional activity and lateralisation in language regions. Then, we move forward to patient-specific analysis. We propose the use of robust estimators to compute cerebral blood flow maps in ASL. Then, we analyse the validity of the assumptions underlying standard statistical analyses in the context of ASL. Finally, we propose a new locally multivariate statistical method based on an a contrario approach and apply it to the detection of atypical patterns of perfusion in ASL and to activation detection in BOLD functional MRI.

In the present doctoral thesis, we estimated Mincer's (1974) semi logarithmic wage function for the French and Pakistani labour force data. This model is considered as a standard tool in order to estimate the relationship between earnings/wages and different contributory factors. Despite of its vide and extensive use, simple estimation of the Mincerian model is biased because of different econometric problems. The main sources of bias noted in the literature are endogeneity of schooling, measurement error, and sample selectivity. We have tackled the endogeneity and measurement error biases via instrumental variables two stage least squares approach for which we have proposed two new instrumental variables. The first instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the family of the concerned individual" and the second instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the country, of particular age group, of particular gender, at the particular time when an individual had joined the labour force". Schooling is found to be endogenous for the both countries. Comparing two said instruments we have selected second instrument to be more appropriate. We have applied the Heckman (1979) two-step procedure to eliminate possible sample selection bias which found to be significantly positive for the both countries which means that in the both countries, people who decided not to participate in labour force as wage worker would have earned less than participants if they had decided to work as wage earner. We have estimated a specification that tackled endogeneity and sample selectivity problems together as we found in respect to present literature relative scarcity of such studies all over the globe in general and absence of such studies for France and Pakistan, in particular. Differences in coefficients proved worth of such specification. We have also estimated model semi-parametrically, but contrary to general norm in the context of the Mincerian model, our semi-parametric estimation contained non-parametric component from first-stage schooling equation instead of non-parametric component from selection equation. For both countries, we have found parametric model to be more appropriate. We found errors to be heteroscedastic for the data from both countries and then applied adaptive estimation to control adverse effects of heteroscedasticity. Comparing simple and adaptive estimations, we prefer adaptive specification of parametric model for both countries. Finally, we have applied quantile regression on the selected model from mean regression. Quantile regression exposed that different explanatory factors influence differently in different parts of the wage distribution of the two countries. For both Pakistan and France, it would be the first study that corrected both sample selectivity and endogeneity in single specification in quantile regression framework

Animal traits differ not only in mean, but also in variation around the mean. For instance, one sire’s daughter group may be very homogeneous, while another sire’s daughters are much more heterogeneous in performance. The difference in residual variance can partially be explained by genetic differences. Models for such genetic heterogeneity of environmental variance include genetic effects for the mean and residual variance, and a correlation between the genetic effects for the mean and residual variance to measure how the residual variance might vary with the mean. The aim of this thesis was to develop a method based on double hierarchical generalized linear models for estimating genetic heteroscedasticity, and to apply it on four traits in two domestic animal species; teat count and litter size in pigs, and milk production and somatic cell count in dairy cows. The method developed is fast and has been implemented in software that is widely used in animal breeding, which makes it convenient to use. It is based on an approximation of double hierarchical generalized linear models by normal distributions. When having repeated observations on individuals or genetic groups, the estimates were found to be unbiased. For the traits studied, the estimated heritability values for the mean and the residual variance, and the genetic coefficients of variation, were found in the usual ranges reported. The genetic correlation between mean and residual variance was estimated for the pig traits only, and was found to be favorable for litter size, but unfavorable for teat count.

Orientadores: Victor Hugo Lachos Dávila, Filidor Edilfonso Vilca Labra / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matemática, Estatística e Computação Científica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T04:06:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MedinaGaray_AldoWilliam_M.pdf: 1389516 bytes, checksum: 2763869ea52e11ede3c860714ea0e75e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Neste trabalho estudamos alguns aspectos de estimação e diagnóstico de influência global e local de modelos não lineares sob a classe de distribuição misturas da escala skew-normal, baseado na metodologia proposta por Cook (1986) e Poon & Poon (1999). Os modelos não lineares heteroscedásticos também são discutidos. Esta nova classe de modelos constitui uma generalização robusta dos modelos de regressão não linear simétricos, que têm como membros particulares distribuições com caudas pesadas, tais como skew-t, skew-slash, skew-normal contaminada, entre outras. A estimação dos parâmetros será obtida via o algoritmo EM proposto por Dempster et al. (1977). Estudos de testes de hipóteses são considerados utilizando as estatísticas de escore e da razão de verossimilhança, para testar a homogeneidade do parâmetro de escala. Propriedades das estatísticas do teste são investigadas através de simulações de Monte Carlo. Exemplos numéricos considerando dados reais e simulados são apresentados para ilustrar a metodologia desenvolvida / Abstrac: In this work, we studied some aspects of estimation and diagnostics on the global and local influence in nonlinear models under the class of scale mixtures of the skewnormal (SMSN) distribution, based on the methodology proposed by Cook (1986) e Poon & Poon (1999). Heteroscedastic nonlinear models are also discussed. This new class of models are a robust generalization of non-linear regression symmetrical models, which have as members individual distributions with heavy tails, such as skew-t, skew-slash, and skew-contaminated normal, among others. The parameter estimation will be obtained with the EM algorithm proposed by Dempster et al. (1977). Studies testing hypotheses are considered using the score statistics and the likelihood ratio test to test the homogeneity of scale parameter. Properties of test statistics are investigated through Monte Carlo simulations. Numerical examples considering real and simulated data are presented to illustrate the methodology / Mestrado / Métodos Estatísticos / Mestre em Estatística

Ce travail se compose de trois parties consacrées à différents aspects des modèles ARCH (AutoRegressive Conditionally Heteroskedastic) quantiles. Dans ces modèles, l’hétéroscédasticité conditionnelle est à prendre dans un sens très large, et affecte de fa¸ con potentiellement différenciée tous les quantiles conditionnels (et donc la loi conditionnelle elle-même), et non seulement, comme dans les modèles ARCH classiques, l’échelle conditionnelle.<p><p>La première partie étudie les problèmes de Value-at-Risk (VaR) dans les séries financières ainsi modélisées. Les approches traditionnelles présentent une caractéristique discutable, que nous relevons, et à laquelle nous apportons une correction fondée sur les lois résiduelles. Nous pensons que les fondements de cette nouvelle approche sont plus solides, et permettent de prendre en compte le fait que le comportement des processus empiriques résiduels (REP) des processus ARCH, contrairement à celui des REP des processus ARMA, continue à dépendre de certains des paramètres du modèle.<p><p>La seconde partie approfondit l’étude générale des processus empiriques résiduels (REP) des processus ARCH dans l’optique de la régression quantile (QR) au sens de Koenker et Bassett (Econometrica 1978). La représentation de Bahadur des estimateurs QR, et dont découle la propriété de tension asymptotique des REP, est établie.<p><p>Finalement, dans la troisième partie, nous mettons en évidence la nature semi-paramétrique des modèles ARCH quantiles, et l’invariance, sous l’action de certains groupes de transforma-tions, des sous-modèles obtenus en fixant la valeur des paramètres. Cette structure de groupe permet la construction de méthodes d’inférence invariantes qui, dans l’esprit des résultats de Hallin and Werker (Bernoulli 2003) préservent l’optimalité au sens semi-paramétrique. Ces méthodes sont fondées sur les rangs et les signes résiduels. Nous développons en particulier les R-estimateurs des modèles considérés et étudions leurs performances. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Dans cette thèse, notre cadre d’analyse repose sur l’estimation de la fonction de gain proposée par Mincer (1974). Le but est de reprendre la spécification de ce modèle en s'intéressant aux problèmes d’estimation liés. Le but est aussi une comparaison pour les marchés du travail français et pakistanais en utilisant une spécification plus robuste.[...] Toutefois, suivant une nombreuse littérature, la simple estimation du modèle de Mincer est biaisée, ceci en raison de différents problèmes. [...] Dans la présente thèse deux nouvelles variables instrumentales sont proposées dans une application de type IV2SLS. [...] D'après l'analyse menée dans cette thèse, la seconde variable instrumentale apparaît être la plus appropriée, cela puisqu’elle possède un faible effet direct sur la variable de réponse par rapport à la première variable instrumentale proposée. Par ailleurs, la définition de cette variable instrumentale est plus robuste que la première variable instrumentale. [...] Pour éliminer une autre source potentielle de biais, dans l'estimation du modèle de Mincer, i.e. le biais de sélection, la classique méthode à deux étapes de correction proposée par Heckman (1979) a été appliquée. Par cette méthode le biais de sélection a été trouvé positif et statistiquement significatif pour les deux pays. [...] Dans la littérature relative à l'estimation du modèle de Mincer, nous avons noté qu’il y a très peu d'études qui corrigent les deux sources de biais simultanément et aucune étude de cette nature n’existe pas pour la France ou le Pakistan.[...] Donc, en réponse, nous estimons ici une seule spécification corrigeant de manière simultanée le biais de sélection de l'échantillon et le biais d'endogénéité de l'éducation. Nous avons également noté, toujours d'après la littérature, que la robustesse des hypothèses du modèle linéaire utilisé pour estimer le modèle de Mincer a rarement été discutée et testée.[...] Nous avons donc testé formellement la validité de l'hypothèse d'homoscédasticité, cela en appliquant le test de White (1980).[...] Donc, afin d'éviter les effets de l'hétéroscédasticité des erreurs sur le processus d'estimation, nous avons réalisé une estimation adaptative du modèle de Mincer.[...]Basées sur la performance globale des modèles paramétrique et semi-paramétrique, nous avons constaté que, pour la France, les deux formes d'estimation apparaissent bien spécifiées. Toujours dans l'idée de maintenir la facilité d’estimation, le modèle paramétrique a été sélectionné afin d'être le plus approprié pour les données françaises. Pour l'analyse du Pakistan, nous avons conclu que le modèle semi-paramétrique produit des résultats en désaccord avec l’agrément général au Pakistan, mais aussi en rapport à la littérature internationale pour certaines des variables.[...] Donc, comme pour les données françaises, pour les données pakistanaises, nous avons aussi choisi le modèle paramétrique comme le plus robuste qu’afin d'estimer les impacts exercés par les différents facteurs explicatifs sur le processus de la détermination des salaires. Pour les deux pays, après avoir comparé les versions simples et adaptatives du modèle paramétrique et du modèle semi-paramétrique, nous avons trouvé que le modèle paramétrique dans la spécification adaptative est plus performant dans l’objectif d'estimer les impacts des différents facteurs contributifs au processus de détermination des salaires.Enfin, nous avons estimé le modèle de Mincer dans une forme paramétrique choisie de ces estimations, comme le plus approprié en rapport à la forme semi-paramétrique, et à partir de l'analyse de régression en moyenne, comme pour le modèle de régression par quantile.[...]La méthode de régression par quantile a révélé que la plupart des variables explicatives influencent les gains salariaux, ceci différemment suivant les différentes parties de la distribution des salaires, pour les deux marchés du travail considérés. / In the present doctoral thesis, we estimated Mincer’s (1974) semi logarithmic wage function for the French and Pakistani labour force data. This model is considered as a standard tool in order to estimate the relationship between earnings/wages and different contributory factors. Despite of its vide and extensive use, simple estimation of the Mincerian model is biased because of different econometric problems. The main sources of bias noted in the literature are endogeneity of schooling, measurement error, and sample selectivity. We have tackled the endogeneity and measurement error biases via instrumental variables two stage least squares approach for which we have proposed two new instrumental variables. The first instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the family of the concerned individual" and the second instrumental variable is defined as "the average years of schooling in the country, of particular age group, of particular gender, at the particular time when an individual had joined the labour force". Schooling is found to be endogenous for the both countries. Comparing two said instruments we have selected second instrument to be more appropriate. We have applied the Heckman (1979) two-step procedure to eliminate possible sample selection bias which found to be significantly positive for the both countries which means that in the both countries, people who decided not to participate in labour force as wage worker would have earned less than participants if they had decided to work as wage earner. We have estimated a specification that tackled endogeneity and sample selectivity problems together as we found in respect to present literature relative scarcity of such studies all over the globe in general and absence of such studies for France and Pakistan, in particular. Differences in coefficients proved worth of such specification. We have also estimated model semi-parametrically, but contrary to general norm in the context of the Mincerian model, our semi-parametric estimation contained non-parametric component from first-stage schooling equation instead of non-parametric component from selection equation. For both countries, we have found parametric model to be more appropriate. We found errors to be heteroscedastic for the data from both countries and then applied adaptive estimation to control adverse effects of heteroscedasticity. Comparing simple and adaptive estimations, we prefer adaptive specification of parametric model for both countries. Finally, we have applied quantile regression on the selected model from mean regression. Quantile regression exposed that different explanatory factors influence differently in different parts of the wage distribution of the two countries. For both Pakistan and France, it would be the first study that corrected both sample selectivity and endogeneity in single specification in quantile regression framework

Die Kapitel 1 bis 6 im ersten Teil dieses Skriptes beruhen auf einer Vorlesung Ökonometrie I, die zuletzt im WS 2001/02 gehalten wurde, die Kapitel 7 bis 16 beruhen auf einer Vorlesung Ökonometrie II, die zuletzt im SS 2006 gehalten wurde. Das achte Kapitel enthält eine komprimierte Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse aus dem Teil Ökonometrie I.

This study has applied a geographical perspective with the ambition of evaluating the presence of the Sell in May effect, January effect and monthly anomalies in the Nordic stock markets. In extension the study examines the relationship between corporate size and the returns of calendar anomalies. The study has conducted statistical tests based on Newey-West regressions as well as a Generalized Auto-Regressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity model. The findings suggest that the Sell in May and January are present in the Nordic region and partially abide by theory and results of previous research. The findings suggest that the Sell in May and January effect are independent, however, tendencies when the January effect has a considerable influence on the Sell in May effect are also evident. Additionally, the “April Effect” is an unexpected outlier with positive excess returns that was identified through this study.

La presente tesi raggruppa tre contributi che analizzano la partecipazione dei minori ad attività lavorative e scolastiche in Marocco, le variabili correlate con il benessere individuale e le differenze nei livelli salariali in Albania. I tre saggi tentano di fornire analisi empiriche basate sulla letteratura più recente e di contribuire allo sviluppo della metodologia quantitativa più comunemente utilizzata. / The present thesis is a collection of three contributions which investigate children’s schooling and labour participation in Morocco, the correlates of subjective well being and the differences in wage levels in Albania. The papers try to carry out empirical analyses of these issues based on the most recent developments in the relevant literature and to contribute to the empirical methodology commonly used.