The RATS Software Forum

You have an autoregression with 0 lags. This wasn't written for that.

Dear Tom,

Yes, I set it to zero. however, I have tried setting the lags to 4 or any other number of lags apart from zero, it give me the same message and problem.

Many thanks
Faek

The model with multiple lags doesn't work very well (one of the states becomes absorbing) but it certainly estimates. You probably can't successfully estimate the model with both mean and variance switching.

Dear Tom,

I really appreciate your kindness and patience. Actually, I have tried a range of possibilities. I have tried to estimate it for just switching in the mean (without variance) and with only one variable affecting the TVP, I always get the same problem.

Many thanks
Faek

The message that you reported should only come up when you estimate with zero lags. If it works with some series and not with others, then it sounds like it's not the program, but the data. The potential problem with estimating a model with switching means and variances by EM is described on page UG-365 of the RATS version 8 User's Guide, and in greater detail in the Structural Breaks and Switching Models course meterials (http://www.estima.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1185). EM doesn't always get stuck on one of the infinite spikes, but it can.

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much. I cordially appreciate your guidance and help. I also think it is the data issue and not the program.

Many thanks

Dear Tom,

I hope that you are well. The code plots NBER recessions vs the probability of slow growth state. I would like to plot the graphs of the estimated time varying probabilities only, however, I could not sort it out. Any hints are very much appreciated.

Many thanks
Faek

FaeK wrote:Dear Tom,

I hope that you are well. The code plots NBER recessions vs the probability of slow growth state. I would like to plot the graphs of the estimated time varying probabilities only, however, I could not sort it out. Any hints are very much appreciated.

Many thanks
Faek

Take the SHADE option out(?) I'm not sure what you mean other than that.

Dear Tom,

Thank you. I want to save and plot p1eq and p2eq which are the time varying probabilities. Could you provide any hints for this?

Thank you so much
Faek

p1eq and p2eq compute the logistic indexes, not the probabilities. The graph is already showing the time-varying probability---pdown is the probability of the recession, 1-pdown would be the probability of a non-recession.

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much-it is very much appreciated.

Regards
Faek