This treatise delves into the latest advancements in stochastic volatility models, highlighting the utilization of Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations for estimating model parameters and forecasting the volatility and quantiles of financial asset returns. The modeling of financial time series volatility constitutes a crucial aspect of finance, as it plays a vital role in predicting return distributions and managing risks. Among the various econometric models available, the stochastic volatility model has been a popular choice, particularly in comparison to other models, such as GARCH models, as it has demonstrated superior performance in previous empirical studies in terms of fit, forecasting volatility, and evaluating tail risk measures such as Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall. The book also explores an extension of the basic stochastic volatility model, incorporating a skewed return error distribution and a realized volatility measurement equation. The concept of realized volatility, a newly established estimator of volatility using intraday returns data, is introduced, and a comprehensive description of the resulting realized stochastic volatility model is provided. The text contains a thorough explanation of several efficient sampling algorithms for latent log volatilities, as well as an illustration of parameter estimation and volatility prediction through empirical studies utilizing various asset return data, including the yen/US dollar exchange rate, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Nikkei 225 stock index. This publication is highly recommended for readers with an interest in the latest developments in stochastic volatility models and realized stochastic volatility models, particularly in regards to financial risk management.

Stochastic volatility is the main concept used in the fields of financial economics and mathematical finance to deal with time-varying volatility in financial markets. This book brings together some of the main papers that have influenced the field of the econometrics of stochastic volatility, and shows that the development of this subject has been highly multidisciplinary, with results drawn from financial economics, probability theory, and econometrics, blending to produce methods and models that have aided our understanding of the realistic pricing of options, efficient asset allocation, and accurate risk assessment. A lengthy introduction by the editor connects the papers with the literature.

The theoretical and empirical econometric literatures on long memory and regime switching have evolved largely independently, as the phenomena appear distinct. We argue, in contrast, that they are intimately related, and we substantiate our claim in several environments, including a simple mixture model, Engle and Lee's (1999) stochastic permanent break model, and Hamilton's (1989) Markov switching model. In particular, we show analytically that stochastic regime switching is easily confused with long memory, even asymptotically, so long as only a small' amount of regime switching occurs, in a sense that we make precise. A Monte Carlo analysis supports the relevance of the theory and produces additional insights.

State space models play a key role in the estimation of time-varying sensitivities in financial markets. The objective of this book is to analyze the relative merits of modern time series techniques, such as Markov regime switching and the Kalman filter, to model structural changes in the context of widely used concepts in finance. The presented material will be useful for financial economists and practitioners who are interested in taking time-variation in the relationship between financial assets and key economic factors explicitly into account. The empirical part illustrates the application of the various methods under consideration. As a distinctive feature, it includes a comprehensive analysis of the ability of time-varying coefficient models to estimate and predict the conditional nature of systematic risks for European industry portfolios.