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Bias in the estimation of the mean reversion parameter in continuous time models

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  • Yu, Jun
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Abstract

It is well known that for continuous time models with a linear drift standard estimation methods yield biased estimators for the mean reversion parameter both in finite discrete samples and in large in-fill samples. In this paper, we obtain two expressions to approximate the bias of the least squares/maximum likelihood estimator of the mean reversion parameter in the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process with a known long run mean when discretely sampled data are available. The first expression mimics the bias formula of Marriott and Pope (1954) for the discrete time model. Simulations show that this expression does not work satisfactorily when the speed of mean reversion is slow. Slow mean reversion corresponds to the near unit root situation and is empirically realistic for financial time series. An improvement is made in the second expression where a nonlinear correction term is included into the bias formula. It is shown that the nonlinear term is important in the near unit root situation. Simulations indicate that the second expression captures the magnitude, the curvature and the non-monotonicity of the actual bias better than the first expression.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Econometrics.

Volume (Year): 169 (2012)
Issue (Month): 1 ()
Pages: 114-122

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Handle: RePEc:eee:econom:v:169:y:2012:i:1:p:114-122

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Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jeconom

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Keywords: Least squares; Maximum likelihood; Discrete sampling; Continuous record; Near unit root;

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Citations

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Cited by:
  1. Peter C.B. Phillips & Jun Yu, 2007. "Simulation-based Estimation of Contingent-claims Prices," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1596, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
  2. Xiaohu Wang & Peter C.B. Phillips & Jun Yu, 2011. "Bias in Estimating Multivariate and Univariate Diffusions," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1778, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
  3. Ye Chen & Jun Yu, 2012. "Optimal Jackknife for Discrete Time and Continuous Time Unit Root Models," Working Papers 15-2012, Singapore Management University, School of Economics.
  4. Yong Bao & Aman Ullah & Yun Wang & Jun Yu, 2013. "Bias in the Mean Reversion Estimator in Continuous-Time Gaussian and Lévy Processes," Working Papers 02-2013, Singapore Management University, School of Economics.

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