Written by leading market risk academic, Professor Carol Alexander, Practical Financial Econometrics forms part two of the Market Risk Analysis four volume set. It introduces the econometric techniques that are commonly applied to finance with a critical and selective exposition, emphasising the areas of econometrics, such as GARCH, cointegration and copulas that are required for resolving problems in market risk analysis. The book covers material for a one-semester graduate course in applied financial econometrics in a very pedagogical fashion as each time a concept is introduced an empirical example is given, and whenever possible this is illustrated with an Excel spreadsheet.

All together, the Market Risk Analysis four volume set illustrates virtually every concept or formula with a practical, numerical example or a longer, empirical case study. Across all four volumes there are approximately 300 numerical and empirical examples, 400 graphs and figures and 30 case studies many of which are contained in interactive Excel spreadsheets available from the the accompanying CD-ROM. Empirical examples and case studies specific to this volume include:

• Factor analysis with orthogonal regressions and using principal component factors;
• Estimation of symmetric and asymmetric, normal and Student t GARCH and E-GARCH parameters;
• Normal, Student t, Gumbel, Clayton, normal mixture copula densities, and simulations from these copulas with application to VaR and portfolio optimization;
• Principal component analysis of yield curves with applications to portfolio immunization and asset/liability management;
• Simulation of normal mixture and Markov switching GARCH returns;
• Cointegration based index tracking and pairs trading, with error correction and impulse response modelling;
• Markov switching regression models (Eviews code);
• GARCH term structure forecasting with volatility targeting;
• Non-linear quantile regressions with applications to hedging.

Table of Contents

11.1 Factor Models

11.2 Principal Component Analysis

11.3 Classical Models of Volatility and Correlation

11.4 Introduction to GARCH Models

11.5 Time Series Models and Cointegration

11.6 Introduction to Copulas

11.7 Advanced Econometric Models

11.8 Forecasting and Model Evaluation

About the Author

Carol Alexander is a Professor of Risk Management at the ICMA Centre, University of Reading, and Chair of the Academic Advisory Council of the Professional Risk Manager’s International Association (PRMIA). She is the author of Market Models: A Guide to Financial Data Analysis(John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2001) and has been editor and contributor of a very large number of books in finance and mathematics, including the multi-volume Professional Risk Manager's Handbook(McGraw-Hill, 2008 and PRMIA Publications). Carol has published nearly 100 academic journal articles, book chapters and books, the majority of which focus on financial risk management and mathematical finance. Professor Alexander is one of the world's leading authorities on market risk analysis.