--- title: "Tutorial for PointFore" author: "Patrick Schmidt" date: "`r Sys.Date()`" output: rmarkdown::html_vignette: fig_caption: yes vignette: > %\VignetteIndexEntry{Tutorial for PointFore} %\VignetteEngine{knitr::rmarkdown} %\VignetteEncoding{UTF-8} --- ```{r setup, include = FALSE} knitr::opts_chunk$set( collapse = TRUE, comment = "#>" ) ``` # Introduction The PointFore package can be loaded the usual way. ```{r} library(PointFore) ``` The main function is *estimate.functional()* which creates an object of class *pointfore*. Many parameters are available but most of them can be set to their default values. They are explained in details below through examples. The function *estimate.functional()* provides a convenient wrapper for the estimation based on the *gmm package*. The main arguments are the *forecast X* and the *realizations Y*. Further, one can choose between *quantiles* and *expectiles* and the model that describes the forecasted level. The available methods for a pointfore object are *plot* and *summary*. # Simulated Example We illustrate the application of the package in a simple simulated example. ## Generate data First, we generate a time series Y with mean Y.mean. Further, we generate an **optimal mean-forecast X**. ```{r} set.seed(1) Y.mean <- rnorm(200,0,1) Y <- rnorm(200,Y.mean,1) X <- Y.mean ``` ## Estimation of the functional Now, we apply a class of **constant expectile forecasts**. The *summary* function shows the call and the estimation result, and the J-test of overidentifying restrictions. ```{r} res.const <- estimate.functional( iden.fct = expectiles, model = constant, Y = Y, X = X, theta0 = 0.5) summary(res.const) ``` The results imply an expectile level close to 0.5. In a second step, we estimate a **state-dependent expectile** model, where the level of the expectile can depend on the current forecast. The *linear probit* model is already implemented in the *PointFore* package. The level of the forecast depends on the the state variable s, via the formula $$ level = inv.logit(\theta_1 + s \theta_2)= (1+exp(\theta_1 + s \theta_2)^{-1})^{-1}. $$. ```{r} res.flexible <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = probit_linear, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), stateVariable = X) summary(res.flexible) ``` ## Plot results For interpretation, the results can be plotted with the according pointwise confidence intervals. For state-dependent models the state is plotted on the x-axis. In green, we see a density estimate of the state. ```{r, fig.show="hold", fig.cap = "The results of the constant and flexible model plotted against the forecast."} plot(res.const) plot(res.flexible) ``` ## Wald tests It is straight forward to apply standard Wald tests to the estimated *gmm-object*. First, we have to load the car package. ```{r} library(car) ``` For the constant model, the mean forecast, which is equal to the $0.5$-expectile forecast cannot be rejected by a Wald-type test ```{r} linearHypothesis(res.const$gmm,"Theta[1]=0.5") ``` Similarly, the flexible linear probit model cannot reject the mean-forecast ($H_0: \theta_1=0 \wedge \theta_2 =0$), nor state-independence($H_0: \theta_2 =0$). ```{r} linearHypothesis(res.flexible$gmm,c("Theta[1]=0", "Theta[2]=0")) linearHypothesis(res.flexible$gmm,"Theta[2]=0") ``` # Creating your own specification models You can also **create your own specification models**, which describe how the levels of the quantile/expectile depend on the state variable. The two parameters \code{stateVariable} and \code{theta} are necessary. The output is the level and should always be in the unit interval. ```{r} break_model <- function(stateVariable, theta) { if(length(theta)!=2) stop("Wrong dimension of theta") return(boot::inv.logit(theta[1]+theta[2]*(stateVariable>0))) } ``` Now, we can estimate the model ```{r} res.break <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = break_model, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), stateVariable = X) summary(res.break) plot(res.break) ``` If we use a **forecast that is biased** for positive means: ```{r} X <- Y.mean + 0.2 *(Y.mean>0) res.break <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = break_model, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), stateVariable = X) summary(res.break) plot(res.break) ``` A bias that can also be detected by the linear probit model, which has a similar shape. ```{r} res.flexible <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = probit_linear, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), stateVariable = X) summary(res.flexible) plot(res.flexible) ``` # Applying non-standard instruments However, the biased forecast is **not optimal with respect to the linear probit model**. The deviation can be detected by the J-test of overidentifying restrictions if we use appropriate instruments, that generate a sufficiently rich information set to test for. If we include the squared forecast with its original sign in the instruments, the test rejects optimality with respect to the linear probit model with a p-value below 0.05 and correctly cannot reject optimality with respect to the break model with a p-value of 0.11. ```{r} res.flexible <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = probit_linear, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), instruments = c("lag(Y)","X","sign(X)*X^2"), stateVariable = X) summary(res.flexible)$Jtest res.break <- estimate.functional(iden.fct = expectiles, model = probit_break, Y = Y,X = X, theta0 = c(0,0), instruments = c("lag(Y)","X","sign(X)*X^2"), stateVariable = X) summary(res.break)$Jtest ```