O objetivo geral deste trabalho é testar se a informação contida em dados de microestrutura de mercado contribui para uma melhor explicação do comportamento dos preços dos títulos negociados na BMF&BOVESPA. O primeiro ensaio testa a hipótese de que o volume gera informação sobre o movimento dos preços quando os traders possuem informações diferentes sobre o comportamento dessa variável. Em uma abordagem de microestrutura de mercado, os traders não informados observam apenas as estatísticas diárias de preço e volume, e os traders informados conhecem o comportamento dos preços e volumes tick-by-tick. Aplicando o algoritmo do tick-test, os traders informados observam o volume de ordens de compras e vendas diárias. O teste empírico é feito utilizando modelos markov-switching, e os resultados revelam que os traders informados apresentam estimações melhores. No segundo ensaio, buscam-se evidências de que traders informados preferem atuar no mercado de opções pela possibilidade de alavancar seus ganhos. O objetivo é identificar se o volume no mercado de opções revela o comportamento dos preços das ações. Os resultados obtidos, utilizando opções de PETR4 e VALE5, corroboram a hipótese que o volume no mercado de opções não transmite informação sobre o comportamento do preço da ação. O terceiro ensaio utiliza dados tick-by-tick para estimar a probabilidade de informação privilegiada (PIN) para ações do IBRX. O PIN é uma proxy para informação privada e é incorporado ao método de Fama e French (1993) para separar os portfolios e explicar seus retornos. A combinação do PIN com as variáveis valor de mercado e índice book-to-market possibilita, para alguns portfolios, aumento do retorno e diminuição do risco. A significância das variáveis na explicação dos retornos é testada utilizando modelos de markov-switching. Os resultados permitem concluir que o PIN é um fator importante na explicação dos retornos dos portfolios. / The general objective is to test whether the information contained in data of microstructure market contributes to a better explanation of the behavior of stock prices negotiated in BMF&BOVESPA. The first essay tests the hypothesis that volume generates information on price movements when traders have different information on the behavior of this variable. In a model of market microstructure, non-informed traders observe only the daily statistics on price and volume, while informed traders know the behavior of tick-by-tick prices and volumes. Applying the tick-test algorithm, informed traders observe the volume of buy orders and daily sales. The empirical test is carried out by using markov-switching models, and the results reveal that informed traders show better estimates. In the second essay, we look for evidence that informed traders prefer to trade in options market due to its possibility of leveraging their revenue. The objective is to identify whether volume in the options market is revealing of the behavior of stock prices. The results obtained using options from PETR4 and VALE5 concur to the hypothesis that volume in options market does not transmit information on the behavior of stock price. The third essay makes use of tick-by-tick data to estimate the probability of privileged information (PIN) to IBRX stocks. PIN is a proxy to privilege information and is incorporated to Fama French (1993) method to separate portfolios and explain their returns. The combination of PIN with variables of market value and book-to-market index allows some portfolios to increase return and diminish risk. The significance of these variables in explaining returns is tested using markov-switching methods. The results demonstrate that PIN is an important factor in explaining portfolio returns.

O objetivo geral deste trabalho é testar se a informação contida em dados de microestrutura de mercado contribui para uma melhor explicação do comportamento dos preços dos títulos negociados na BMF&BOVESPA. O primeiro ensaio testa a hipótese de que o volume gera informação sobre o movimento dos preços quando os traders possuem informações diferentes sobre o comportamento dessa variável. Em uma abordagem de microestrutura de mercado, os traders não informados observam apenas as estatísticas diárias de preço e volume, e os traders informados conhecem o comportamento dos preços e volumes tick-by-tick. Aplicando o algoritmo do tick-test, os traders informados observam o volume de ordens de compras e vendas diárias. O teste empírico é feito utilizando modelos markov-switching, e os resultados revelam que os traders informados apresentam estimações melhores. No segundo ensaio, buscam-se evidências de que traders informados preferem atuar no mercado de opções pela possibilidade de alavancar seus ganhos. O objetivo é identificar se o volume no mercado de opções revela o comportamento dos preços das ações. Os resultados obtidos, utilizando opções de PETR4 e VALE5, corroboram a hipótese que o volume no mercado de opções não transmite informação sobre o comportamento do preço da ação. O terceiro ensaio utiliza dados tick-by-tick para estimar a probabilidade de informação privilegiada (PIN) para ações do IBRX. O PIN é uma proxy para informação privada e é incorporado ao método de Fama e French (1993) para separar os portfolios e explicar seus retornos. A combinação do PIN com as variáveis valor de mercado e índice book-to-market possibilita, para alguns portfolios, aumento do retorno e diminuição do risco. A significância das variáveis na explicação dos retornos é testada utilizando modelos de markov-switching. Os resultados permitem concluir que o PIN é um fator importante na explicação dos retornos dos portfolios. / The general objective is to test whether the information contained in data of microstructure market contributes to a better explanation of the behavior of stock prices negotiated in BMF&BOVESPA. The first essay tests the hypothesis that volume generates information on price movements when traders have different information on the behavior of this variable. In a model of market microstructure, non-informed traders observe only the daily statistics on price and volume, while informed traders know the behavior of tick-by-tick prices and volumes. Applying the tick-test algorithm, informed traders observe the volume of buy orders and daily sales. The empirical test is carried out by using markov-switching models, and the results reveal that informed traders show better estimates. In the second essay, we look for evidence that informed traders prefer to trade in options market due to its possibility of leveraging their revenue. The objective is to identify whether volume in the options market is revealing of the behavior of stock prices. The results obtained using options from PETR4 and VALE5 concur to the hypothesis that volume in options market does not transmit information on the behavior of stock price. The third essay makes use of tick-by-tick data to estimate the probability of privileged information (PIN) to IBRX stocks. PIN is a proxy to privilege information and is incorporated to Fama French (1993) method to separate portfolios and explain their returns. The combination of PIN with variables of market value and book-to-market index allows some portfolios to increase return and diminish risk. The significance of these variables in explaining returns is tested using markov-switching methods. The results demonstrate that PIN is an important factor in explaining portfolio returns.

O objetivo geral deste trabalho é testar se a informação contida em dados de microestrutura de mercado contribui para uma melhor explicação do comportamento dos preços dos títulos negociados na BMF&BOVESPA. O primeiro ensaio testa a hipótese de que o volume gera informação sobre o movimento dos preços quando os traders possuem informações diferentes sobre o comportamento dessa variável. Em uma abordagem de microestrutura de mercado, os traders não informados observam apenas as estatísticas diárias de preço e volume, e os traders informados conhecem o comportamento dos preços e volumes tick-by-tick. Aplicando o algoritmo do tick-test, os traders informados observam o volume de ordens de compras e vendas diárias. O teste empírico é feito utilizando modelos markov-switching, e os resultados revelam que os traders informados apresentam estimações melhores. No segundo ensaio, buscam-se evidências de que traders informados preferem atuar no mercado de opções pela possibilidade de alavancar seus ganhos. O objetivo é identificar se o volume no mercado de opções revela o comportamento dos preços das ações. Os resultados obtidos, utilizando opções de PETR4 e VALE5, corroboram a hipótese que o volume no mercado de opções não transmite informação sobre o comportamento do preço da ação. O terceiro ensaio utiliza dados tick-by-tick para estimar a probabilidade de informação privilegiada (PIN) para ações do IBRX. O PIN é uma proxy para informação privada e é incorporado ao método de Fama e French (1993) para separar os portfolios e explicar seus retornos. A combinação do PIN com as variáveis valor de mercado e índice book-to-market possibilita, para alguns portfolios, aumento do retorno e diminuição do risco. A significância das variáveis na explicação dos retornos é testada utilizando modelos de markov-switching. Os resultados permitem concluir que o PIN é um fator importante na explicação dos retornos dos portfolios. / The general objective is to test whether the information contained in data of microstructure market contributes to a better explanation of the behavior of stock prices negotiated in BMF&BOVESPA. The first essay tests the hypothesis that volume generates information on price movements when traders have different information on the behavior of this variable. In a model of market microstructure, non-informed traders observe only the daily statistics on price and volume, while informed traders know the behavior of tick-by-tick prices and volumes. Applying the tick-test algorithm, informed traders observe the volume of buy orders and daily sales. The empirical test is carried out by using markov-switching models, and the results reveal that informed traders show better estimates. In the second essay, we look for evidence that informed traders prefer to trade in options market due to its possibility of leveraging their revenue. The objective is to identify whether volume in the options market is revealing of the behavior of stock prices. The results obtained using options from PETR4 and VALE5 concur to the hypothesis that volume in options market does not transmit information on the behavior of stock price. The third essay makes use of tick-by-tick data to estimate the probability of privileged information (PIN) to IBRX stocks. PIN is a proxy to privilege information and is incorporated to Fama French (1993) method to separate portfolios and explain their returns. The combination of PIN with variables of market value and book-to-market index allows some portfolios to increase return and diminish risk. The significance of these variables in explaining returns is tested using markov-switching methods. The results demonstrate that PIN is an important factor in explaining portfolio returns.

L’intérêt des modèles non-linéaires réside, d’une part, dans une meilleure prise en compte des non-linéaritéscaractérisant les séries macroéconomiques et financières et, d’autre part, dans une prévision plus riche en information.A ce niveau, l’originalité des intervalles (asymétriques et/ou discontinus) et des densités de prévision (asymétriqueset/ou multimodales) offerts par cette nouvelle forme de modélisation suggère qu’une amélioration de la prévisionrelativement aux modèles linéaires est alors possible et qu’il faut disposer de tests d’évaluation assez puissants pourvérifier cette éventuelle amélioration. Ces tests reviennent généralement à vérifier des hypothèses distributionnellessur les processus des violations et des transformées probabilistes associés respectivement à chacune de ces formes deprévision. Dans cette thèse, nous avons adapté le cadre GMM fondé sur les polynômes orthonormaux conçu parBontemps et Meddahi (2005, 2012) pour tester l’adéquation à certaines lois de probabilité, une approche déjà initiéepar Candelon et al. (2011) dans le cadre de l’évaluation de la Value-at-Risk. Outre la simplicité et la robustesse de laméthode, les tests développés présentent de bonnes propriétés en termes de tailles et de puissances. L’utilisation denotre nouvelle approche dans la comparaison de modèles linéaires et de modèles non-linéaires lors d’une analyseempirique a confirmé l’idée selon laquelle les premiers sont préférés si l’objectif est le calcul de simples prévisionsponctuelles tandis que les derniers sont les plus appropriés pour rendre compte de l'incertitude autour de celles-ci. / The interest of non-linear models is, on the one hand, to better take into account non-linearities characterizing themacroeconomic and financial series and, on the other hand, to get richer information in forecast. At this level,originality intervals (asymmetric and / or discontinuous) and forecasts densities (asymmetric and / or multimodal)offered by this new modelling form suggests that improving forecasts according to linear models is possible and thatwe should have enough powerful tests of evaluation to check this possible improvement. Such tests usually meanchecking distributional assumptions on violations and probability integral transform processes respectively associatedto each of these forms of forecast. In this thesis, we have adapted the GMM framework based on orthonormalpolynomials designed by Bontemps and Meddahi (2005, 2012) to test for some probability distributions, an approachalready adopted by Candelon et al. (2011) in the context of backtesting Value-at-Risk. In addition to the simplicity androbustness of the method, the tests we have developed have good properties in terms of size and power. The use of ournew approach in comparison of linear and non-linear models in an empirical analysis confirmed the idea according towhich the former are preferred if the goal is the calculation of simple point forecasts while the latter are moreappropriated to report the uncertainty around them.

This thesis, “Empirical Asset Pricing and Investment Strategies”, examines a number of topics related to portfolio choice, asset pricing, and strategic and tactical asset allocation. The first two papers treat the predictability of asset returns. Since at least the mid-1980s until quite recently, the conventional wisdom has been that it is possible to predict the return on, for example, an index of stocks. However, a series of recent papers have challenged this conventional wisdom. I answer this challenge and show that it is possible to predict returns if structural changes in the underlying economy are taken into account. The third paper examines the comovement between stocks and bonds. I show how it is possible to improve the composition of a portfolio consisting of these two asset classes by taking into account how the comovement changes over time. All three papers are self-contained and can therefore be read in any order. The first paper is entitled “Structural Breaks in Asset Return Predictability: Can They Be Explained?” Here I investigate whether predictability has changed over time and, if so, whether it is possible to tie the change to any underlying economic variables. Dividend yield and the short interest rate are often used jointly as instruments to predict the return on stocks, but several researchers present evidence that the relation has undergone a structural break. I use a model that extends the conventional structural breaks models to allow both for smooth transitions from one state to another (with a break as a special case), and for transitions that depend on a state variable other than time. The latter allows me to directly test whether, for example, the business cycle influences how the instruments predict returns. The results suggest that this is not the case. However, I do find evidence of a structural change primarily in how the instruments predict returns for large firms. The change differs from a break in that it appears to be an extended non-linear transition during the period 1993—1997. After the change, the short rate does not predict returns at all. Dividend yield, on the other hand, is strongly significant, and the return has become more sensitive to it. In the second paper, “Restoring the Predictability of Equity Returns,” I take another perspective on predictability and structural shifts. Several recent papers have questioned the predictability of equity returns, potentially implying serious negative consequences for investment decision-making. With return data including the 1990s, variables that previously predicted returns, such as the dividend yield, are no longer significant and results of out-of-sample tests are often weak. A possible reason is that the underlying structure of the economy has changed. I use an econometric model that allows for regime shifts over time as well as due to changes in a state variable, in this case the price-earnings ratio. This makes it possible to separate influences from these two sources and to determine whether one or both sources have affected return predictability. The results indicate that, first, a structural change occurred during the 1990s, and, second, that the unusually high level of price earnings in the late 1990s and early 2000s temporarily affected predictability at the 12-month horizon. In the third paper, “Coupling and Decoupling: Changing Relations between Stock and Bond Market Returns,” I investigate stock-bond comovement. The correlation between stocks and bonds has changed dramatically over the last ten years, introducing a new type of risk for portfolio managers, namely, correlation risk. I use GARCH estimates of stock volatility, simple regressions, and regime-switching econometric models to assess whether level of volatility, or changes in volatility, can be used to explain some of the changes in comovement in seven different countries. As regards volatility level, strong support is found in almost all countries to suggest that high volatility predicts lower, or negative, comovement. I argue that this can be evidence of a market-timing type of behavior. As for changes in volatility, the results are more mixed. Only for the U.S. market do I find strong support to conclude that large changes tend to coincide with lower, or negative, comovement. This could be evidence of a flight-to-quality (or cross-market hedging) type of behavior. / <p>Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2007</p>

Le secteur du bâtiment est un consommateur énergétique majeur, par conséquent, un cadre d’actions a été décidé au niveau international dans le but de limiter son impact. Afin de mettre en œuvre ces mesures, il est nécessaire d’avoir à disposition des modèles offrants une description fiable du comportement thermique des bâtiments. A cet effet, cette thèse propose l’application d’une nouvelle technique guidée par les données pour la modélisation thermique des bâtiments en se basant sur l’approche des systèmes hybrides, caractérisés par des dynamiques continues et événementielles. Ce choix est motivé par le fait qu’un bâtiment est un système complexe caractérisé par des phénomènes non-linéaires et l’apparition de différents événements. On utilise les modèles affines par morceaux ou PWARX pour l’identification de systèmes hybrides. C’est une collection de sous-modèles affines représentant chacun une configuration caractérisée par une dynamique particulière. Le manuscrit commence par un état de l’art sur les principales techniques de modélisation thermique des bâtiments. Ensuite, le choix d’une approche hybride est motivé par une interprétation mathématique basée sur les équations d’un circuit thermique. Ceci est suivi par une brève présentation des modèles hybrides et une description détaillée de la méthodologie utilisée. On montre ensuite comment utiliser la technique SVM pour classifier les nouvelles données. Enfin, l’intégration des modèles PWARX dans une boucle de contrôle hybride afin d’estimer le gain en performance énergétique d’un bâtiment après rénovation est présentée. La méthodologie est validée en utilisant des données issues de cas d’études variés. / The building sector is a major energy consumer, therefore, a framework of actions has been decided on by countries worldwide to limit its impact. For implementing such actions, the availability of models providing an accurate description of the thermal behavior of buildings is essential. For this purpose, this thesis proposes the application of a new data-driven technique for modeling the thermal behavior of buildings based on a hybrid system approach. Hybrid systems exhibit both continuous and discrete dynamics. This choice is motivated by the fact that a building is a complex system characterized by nonlinear phenomena and the occurrence of different events. We use a PieceWise AutoRegressive eXogeneous inputs (PWARX) model for the identification of hybrid systems. It is a collection of sub-models where each sub-model is an ARX equation representing a certain configuration in the building characterized by its own dynamics. This thesis starts with a state-of-the-art on building thermal modeling. Then, the choice of a hybrid system approach is motivated by a mathematical interpretation based on the equations derived from an RC thermal circuit of a building zone. This is followed by a brief background about hybrid system identification and a detailed description of the PWARX methodology. For the prediction phase, it is shown how to use the Support Vector Machine (SVM) technique to classify new data to the right sub-model. Then, it is shown how to integrate these models in a hybrid control loop to estimate the gain in the energy performance for a building after insulation work. The performance of the proposed technique is validated using data collected from various test cases.

A presente dissertação de conclusão de mestrado tem por objetivo contribuir com a literatura existente que versa acerca da estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real (RER) através de fundamentos econômicos. O objetivo deste trabalho é utilizar o instrumental teórico de modelos com mudança de regime (Markov Switching) aplicado sobre os fundamentos que determinam a RER em um modelo de Cointegração. O modelo teórico utilizado para a estimação foi o proposto por Montiel (1999), modelo este que é mais indicado para países em desenvolvimento, para o período de 1994 até 2005. Os resultados obtidos na estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real foram contundentes em demonstrar que havia três regimes distintos (definidos como sendo regimes de estabilidade, transição e risco extremo) na determinação da RER, indicando que havia uma relação não linear entre está última e os fundamentos econômicos. Verificou-se ainda que a magnitude e os sinais dos parâmetros dos fundamentos estimados para cada regime distinto eram diferentes, sugerindo que a RER reagia de maneira distinta a choques nos fundamentos econômicos de acordo com o regime que a economia se encontrava. Os coeficientes obtidos nas estimações foram utilizados para estimar uma Taxa de Câmbio de Equilíbrio, sendo possível identificar os desvios (misalignments) da taxa observa com relação à taxa estimada a parti r de 1994. / The present dissertation aims to contribute with the studies over Real Exchange Rate in Brazil and the impact of the economic fundamentals on its determination. The main purpose of the dissertation is to use the Markov Switching framework over the fundamentals in the estimation of the Real exchange Rate to the period between 1994 and 2005, using a model based on Montiel (1999), which is more appropriate to developing countries. The results show strong evidences that there are different regimes (interpreted as stability, transition and extremely risk), which can be understood as a non linear relationship between the Real Exchange Rate and the fundamentals. In other words, it was possible to show that the impact of the fundamentals over the Real Exchange Rate is submitted to three different regimes, where the magnitude and signal of their coefficients are different in each regime. The parameters of the model were used to estimate an Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate, which was possible to demonstrate the misalignments after 1994.

A presente dissertação de conclusão de mestrado tem por objetivo contribuir com a literatura existente que versa acerca da estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real (RER) através de fundamentos econômicos. O objetivo deste trabalho é utilizar o instrumental teórico de modelos com mudança de regime (Markov Switching) aplicado sobre os fundamentos que determinam a RER em um modelo de Cointegração. O modelo teórico utilizado para a estimação foi o proposto por Montiel (1999), modelo este que é mais indicado para países em desenvolvimento, para o período de 1994 até 2005. Os resultados obtidos na estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real foram contundentes em demonstrar que havia três regimes distintos (definidos como sendo regimes de estabilidade, transição e risco extremo) na determinação da RER, indicando que havia uma relação não linear entre está última e os fundamentos econômicos. Verificou-se ainda que a magnitude e os sinais dos parâmetros dos fundamentos estimados para cada regime distinto eram diferentes, sugerindo que a RER reagia de maneira distinta a choques nos fundamentos econômicos de acordo com o regime que a economia se encontrava. Os coeficientes obtidos nas estimações foram utilizados para estimar uma Taxa de Câmbio de Equilíbrio, sendo possível identificar os desvios (misalignments) da taxa observa com relação à taxa estimada a parti r de 1994. / The present dissertation aims to contribute with the studies over Real Exchange Rate in Brazil and the impact of the economic fundamentals on its determination. The main purpose of the dissertation is to use the Markov Switching framework over the fundamentals in the estimation of the Real exchange Rate to the period between 1994 and 2005, using a model based on Montiel (1999), which is more appropriate to developing countries. The results show strong evidences that there are different regimes (interpreted as stability, transition and extremely risk), which can be understood as a non linear relationship between the Real Exchange Rate and the fundamentals. In other words, it was possible to show that the impact of the fundamentals over the Real Exchange Rate is submitted to three different regimes, where the magnitude and signal of their coefficients are different in each regime. The parameters of the model were used to estimate an Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate, which was possible to demonstrate the misalignments after 1994.

A presente dissertação de conclusão de mestrado tem por objetivo contribuir com a literatura existente que versa acerca da estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real (RER) através de fundamentos econômicos. O objetivo deste trabalho é utilizar o instrumental teórico de modelos com mudança de regime (Markov Switching) aplicado sobre os fundamentos que determinam a RER em um modelo de Cointegração. O modelo teórico utilizado para a estimação foi o proposto por Montiel (1999), modelo este que é mais indicado para países em desenvolvimento, para o período de 1994 até 2005. Os resultados obtidos na estimação da Taxa de Câmbio Real foram contundentes em demonstrar que havia três regimes distintos (definidos como sendo regimes de estabilidade, transição e risco extremo) na determinação da RER, indicando que havia uma relação não linear entre está última e os fundamentos econômicos. Verificou-se ainda que a magnitude e os sinais dos parâmetros dos fundamentos estimados para cada regime distinto eram diferentes, sugerindo que a RER reagia de maneira distinta a choques nos fundamentos econômicos de acordo com o regime que a economia se encontrava. Os coeficientes obtidos nas estimações foram utilizados para estimar uma Taxa de Câmbio de Equilíbrio, sendo possível identificar os desvios (misalignments) da taxa observa com relação à taxa estimada a parti r de 1994. / The present dissertation aims to contribute with the studies over Real Exchange Rate in Brazil and the impact of the economic fundamentals on its determination. The main purpose of the dissertation is to use the Markov Switching framework over the fundamentals in the estimation of the Real exchange Rate to the period between 1994 and 2005, using a model based on Montiel (1999), which is more appropriate to developing countries. The results show strong evidences that there are different regimes (interpreted as stability, transition and extremely risk), which can be understood as a non linear relationship between the Real Exchange Rate and the fundamentals. In other words, it was possible to show that the impact of the fundamentals over the Real Exchange Rate is submitted to three different regimes, where the magnitude and signal of their coefficients are different in each regime. The parameters of the model were used to estimate an Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate, which was possible to demonstrate the misalignments after 1994.

The valuation of weather derivatives is greatly dependent on accurate modeling and forecasting of the underlying temperature indices. The complexity and uncertainty in such modeling has led to several temperature processes being developed for the Monte Carlo simulation of daily average temperatures. In this report, we aim to compare the results of two recently developed models by Gyamerah et al. (2018) and Evarest, Berntsson, Singull, and Yang (2018). The paper gives a thorough introduction to option theory, Lévy and Wiener processes, and generalized hyperbolic distributions frequently used in temperature modeling. Implementations of maximum likelihood estimation and the expectation-maximization algorithm with Kim's smoothed transition probabilities are used to fit the Lévy process distributions and both models' parameters, respectively. Later, the use of both models is considered for the pricing of European HDD and CDD options by Monte Carlo simulation. The evaluation shows a tendency toward the shifted temperature regime over the base regime, in contrast to the two articles, when evaluated for three data sets. Simulation is successfully demonstrated for the model of Evarest, however Gyamerah's model was unable to be replicated. This is concluded to be due to the two articles containing several incorrect derivations, why the thesis is left unanswered and the articles' conclusions are questioned. We end by proposing further validation of the two models and summarize the alterations required for a correct implementation.