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Vasicek model estimation via linear regression

The Euler discretization of the Vasicek model is misspecified (i.e., it is not the exact discretization based on the true transition density) and so the least squares estimates will be biased (see Andrew Lo's Econometric Theory paper on estimating continuous time models from their discrete time counterparts, and Broze, Scaillet and Zakoian's Journal of Empirical Finance paper on estimating continuous time models from their discretized counterparts). This bias is typically not too large. You can eliminate this bias using an indirect inference estimation technique (see the book by Gourieroux and Monfort for an example applied to the Vasicek model). Alternatively, you can estimate the Vasicek model by exact mle using the code in the nice sde package (see also the accompanying book for more explanation). 
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*  Eric Zivot                  			               *
*  Professor and Gary Waterman Distinguished Scholar           *
*  Department of Economics                                     *
*  Adjunct Professor of Finance                                *
*  Adjunct Professor of Statistics
*  Box 353330                  email:  ezivot at u.washington.edu *
*  University of Washington    phone:  206-543-6715            *
*  Seattle, WA 98195-3330                                      *                                                           *
*  www:  http://faculty.washington.edu/ezivot                  *
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On Wed, 17 Jun 2009, Schaeffer, Derek BGI SF wrote: