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The Size‐Power Tradeoff in HAR Inference

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  • Eben Lazarus
  • Daniel J. Lewis
  • James H. Stock

Abstract

Heteroskedasticity‐ and autocorrelation‐robust (HAR) inference in time series regression typically involves kernel estimation of the long‐run variance. Conventional wisdom holds that, for a given kernel, the choice of truncation parameter trades off a test's null rejection rate and power, and that this tradeoff differs across kernels. We formalize this intuition: using higher‐order expansions, we provide a unified size‐power frontier for both kernel and weighted orthonormal series tests using nonstandard “fixed‐b” critical values. We also provide a frontier for the subset of these tests for which the fixed‐b distribution is t or F. These frontiers are respectively achieved by the QS kernel and equal‐weighted periodogram. The frontiers have simple closed‐form expressions, which show that the price paid for restricting attention to tests with t and F critical values is small. The frontiers are derived for the Gaussian multivariate location model, but simulations suggest the qualitative findings extend to stochastic regressors.

Suggested Citation

  • Eben Lazarus & Daniel J. Lewis & James H. Stock, 2021. "The Size‐Power Tradeoff in HAR Inference," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(5), pages 2497-2516, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:emetrp:v:89:y:2021:i:5:p:2497-2516
    DOI: 10.3982/ECTA15404
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Alessandro Casini & Pierre Perron, 2021. "Prewhitened Long-Run Variance Estimation Robust to Nonstationarity," Papers 2103.02235, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2021.
    2. Andrew Martinez, 2017. "Testing for Differences in Path Forecast Accuracy: Forecast-Error Dynamics Matter," Working Papers (Old Series) 1717, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    3. Grigory Franguridi & Bulat Gafarov & Kaspar Wüthrich, 2021. "Conditional Quantile Estimators: A Small Sample Theory," CESifo Working Paper Series 9046, CESifo.
    4. Alessandro Casini, 2021. "Theory of Evolutionary Spectra for Heteroskedasticity and Autocorrelation Robust Inference in Possibly Misspecified and Nonstationary Models," Papers 2103.02981, arXiv.org.
    5. Jungbin Hwang & Gonzalo Valdés, 2020. "Low Frequency Cointegrating Regression in the Presence of Local to Unity Regressors and Unknown Form of Serial Dependence," Working papers 2020-03, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2020.
    6. Kaicheng Chen & Timothy J. Vogelsang, 2023. "Fixed-b Asymptotics for Panel Models with Two-Way Clustering," Papers 2309.08707, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2023.
    7. Federico Belotti & Alessandro Casini & Leopoldo Catania & Stefano Grassi & Pierre Perron, 2023. "Simultaneous bandwidths determination for DK-HAC estimators and long-run variance estimation in nonparametric settings," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(3), pages 281-306, February.
    8. Niels Joachim Gormsen, 2021. "Time Variation of the Equity Term Structure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(4), pages 1959-1999, August.
    9. Jungbin Hwang & Gonzalo Valdés, 2020. "Finite-sample Corrected Inference for Two-step GMM in Time Series," Working papers 2020-02, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    10. Alessandro Casini & Taosong Deng & Pierre Perron, 2021. "Theory of Low Frequency Contamination from Nonstationarity and Misspecification: Consequences for HAR Inference," Papers 2103.01604, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2021.

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