Avoiding the Pitfalls: Can Regime-Switching Tests Reliably Detect Bubbles?

Simon van Norden, L'École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Montréal
Robert Vigfusson, Northwestern University

Abstract

Our paper uses simulation methods to examine the size and power of regime-switching tests for bubbles. We find that even with several hundred observations, the tests show sometimes considerable size distortion. This distortion makes the tests conservative; they understate the significance of the evidence of bubbles. Despite this, the tests display considerable power to detect bubbles even when using the conservative asymptotic critical values. We also find that the frequency with which bubbles collapse has an important influence on the tests' power. An application to monthly Canadian and American stock-price data provides mixed evidence of bubbles.

Recommended Citation

Simon van Norden and Robert Vigfusson (1998) "Avoiding the Pitfalls: Can Regime-Switching Tests Reliably Detect Bubbles? ", Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics: Vol. 3: No. 1, Article 1.
http://www.bepress.com/snde/vol3/iss1/art1

Related Files

vannorden_datacode.zip (123 kB)
Data & Code

 
 
 
 

ISSN: 1558-3708 ©1999-2008 The Berkeley Electronic Press™ All rights reserved.

To submit, subscribe, recommend this journal to your library, or sign up for email alerts, please visit: http://www.bepress.com/snde