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Estimating and predicting of Value-at-Risk
Zuo-xiang Peng 1 2 Shi Li 1 Hao Pang 1
(1 School of Statistics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, 610074;
2 School of Mathematics and Finance, Southwestern University, Chongqing, 400715)
Abstract: Based on extreme value theory and General Pareto Distribution (GPD), the paper analyzes
and describes the performance of the thick-tail of the high frequency financial time series data with
Tail-Index which fitted by local fitness on tail distribution of the data. Both processes, the one is
procedures of estimating and testing of the tail index, the other is estimating and forecasting methods
of Value-at-Risk (VaR) are given systematically. The one-step forward forecasting results of the
Composite Index of Shanghai Stock Exchange by Extreme Value Theory and other well-known
modeling techniques, such as ARCH/GARCH models, are empirically compared and contrasted. The
empirical results argue that GPD method is superior to GARCH models on estimating and forecasting
of VaR.
Key Words: Value-at-Risk Tail-Index One-Step Forward Forecasting Extreme Value Theory
Empirical Analysis.
0 Introduction
The Value-at-Risk(VaR) method has two limitations in measuring the VaR of high frequency
financial time series data: on the one hand, the high frequency financial time series data often have the
characteristics of thick-tail, if the financial time data, such as stock returns, are still supposed
following normal distribution, the VaR would be underestimated. On the other hand, in the process of
empirical analysis, the hypothesis testing of returns time series follow the normal distribution, by
Jarque-Bera test, always be rejected, the problems of specification bias will be considered. Extreme
Value Theory (EVT) and ARCH/GARCH model have the different statistical characteristics to
describe the performance of the thick-tail properties of the high frequency financial time series data.
Embrechts, Kluppelberg and Mikosch(1997), Reiss and Thomas(1997)[1][2] have investigated the
application of the EVT on the financial and insurance industries systematically. In the series of articles,
Mcneil(1997,1998,1999, and 2000) studied the Tail Index and the estimation of the VaR for the
financial time series [3]-[7]. Silva & Mendes (2003), Agbeyegbe & Leon (2002)[8][9] estimated the Tail
Index and VaR for the Asian stock market and Jamaica stock market separately based on the EVT.
Gençay, Selçuk & Ulugülyaˇgci (2003) [10] , with the EVT, estimated the Tail Index of the ISE-100
returns series of Turkey stock market to gain the one-step estimating process of the VaR .
In general, the work mentioned above only limited their studies in the framework of EVT when
they studied the characteristics of the distribution function or density function with Tail Index, so it is
considered that the investigating angle of above literatures are less confined. If the analysis on tail
characteristics of the distribution function or the density function are used to evaluate the properties of
the random sampling data and the sensitivity to the large-sample observed numbers, the expected
∗
Project(70371061) supported by NSFC, Project (Grant: 03JB790011) supported by Doctorial Foundation of Ministry of
Education of the P.R. of China , Project supported by the tenth Five plan ‘211 project’ of Southwestern University of finance
& economics。
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analysis will possess the existing conditions of the high order moments (or high order conditional
moments) in the unit root testing on financial high frequency time series with ARCH/ GARCH error
terms. In the meantime, the analysis on (high, lower) Tail-Index can not only reflect the intensity of
leverage effects, but also can be used to specify the fluctuating or volatility models. Based on the
those ideas, the paper attempts to establish the Tail Index estimation with EVT to describe the
thick-tail degree of the distribution function or density function, to estimate and forecast the VaR, and
to analyze the existing conditions and effects of the high order moments or high order conditional
moments.
The remainder of this paper is as follows: the second section offers the foundation for the EVT, the
process of estimating and testing for the Tail Index discussed in detail in the third section, the fourth
section is the estimating method and the forecasting method of the VaR; the fifth section empirically
analyzes the estimating and testing process of lower Tail-Index of the Shanghai stock market returns
rate series, and empirically estimate the VaR, in the fifth section, the one-step forward forecasting
outcomes separately based on the GARCH error term model and the EVT will be compared to draw
the conclusions.
1 The summary for the Extreme Value Theory
Suppose that X 1 , X 2 ,..., X n are independent identically distributed series data 1 , the common
distribution function is F ( x ) . If the constant an > 0 exists, bn ∈ R , and G ( x ) is non-degenerated
distribution function, then following limit exists:
lim P (max{ X i ,1 ≤ i ≤ n} ≤ an x + bn ) = G ( x )
n →∞
So function G ( x ) must be one a type of followings:
⎧ −
1
⎪exp(−(1 + ξ x) ξ ),1 + ξ x > 0, ξ ≠ 0
Gξ ( x) = ⎨
⎪ exp( −e − x ), x ∈ R, ξ =0
⎩
where ξ is called Tail Index, F ( x ) belongs to the attraction field Gξ ( x ) , and Gξ ( x ) is called the
types of extreme distribution function. [11][12]
Resnick(1987) proved that normal distribution, exponential distribution and lognormal
distribution all belong to the attraction field G0 ( x) , but the necessary and sufficient conditions of
1
−
ξ
1 − F ( x ) belonging to the attraction field Gξ ( x ) is 1 − F ( x) = x L( x ) , where L ( x ) is a slow-
changing function. T-distribution and skewed-t distribution also belong to the attraction field
Gξ ( x), ξ > 0 . So the Tail Index ξ is the important parameter to measure tail attenuation of the
distribution. When ξ > 0 , the distribution has thick-tail character. How to estimate ξ is the important
composing aspect of the EVT, and also is the important field to study the existing conditions for high
order moments of ARCH/GARCH model and the estimation and forecast of the VaR in the risk
management industry.
2 The estimating and testing of Tail Index
The estimating methods of the parameter ξ include Hill-type estimating method ( ξ > 0 ),
[13]
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Financial time series data, such as returns data, is no-independent, but under some weak-consistency conditions, the
arguments in this section will be tenable (Leadbetter, Lindgren & Rootzen (1983)), in which the stationary of time series is
requested.
2
Pickands-type estimating method [14]( ξ ∈ R )and moment estimating method [15]( ξ ∈ R )and so on.
As to the returns series, the tails often take the token of few extra income or loss. Theoretically the
value of returns can be infinite, and in general the Tail Index ξ > 0 [16].
Based on the scatter plot of H (m, n) 2 , the value of Tail Index ξ can only be estimated roughly, if
the reliable estimating value of the Tail Index ξ is wanted to gain, then it is requested that the
process of estimation and hypothesis must be systematical. Considering the tail of local fitting
distribution function, the relative efficiency estimation of the Tail-Index, and based on that the
institution investors and disperse investors take more care of the changing conditions of the financial
time series when the observed value exceeds the threshold u in the process of making investment
decision, the GPD method will be used to estimate the Tail Index. Considering
F (u + y ) − F (u )
Fu ( y ) = P( X − u ≤ y | X > u ) = ,y >0
1 − F (u )
where u > 0 is the threshold. As to the sufficient large u ,and following condition will exists [19]:
⎧ −1
y y
⎪1 − (1 + ξ ) ξ ,1 + ξ > 0, ξ ≠ 0;
⎪ σu σu
Fu ( y ) ≈ G ( y;σ u , ξ ) = ⎨
⎪ −
y
⎪ 1− e , σu
ξ =0
⎩
where N u is the numbers that the observed values exceed the threshold u ,and ξ , σ are the
parameters to estimate. In the empirical analysis, the threshold u can be selected by the scatter plot of
the sample mean exceedance, which is defined as {(u , en (u )), X 1, n < u < X n ,n } , where en (u ) is
called sample mean excess function (SME).
The definition of en (u ) is
n
∑ ( X i − u )+ ⎧X − u X > u ⎧1 X > u
en (u ) = i =1
, where:( X − u ) + = ⎨ , I{ X >u} = ⎨
n
⎩0 X ≤u ⎩0 X ≤ u
∑ I{ X >u}
i
i =1
1 m
∑ log ( X n − k +1, n ) − log ( X n − m, n ) ,where X1, n ≤ X 2, n ≤ ... ≤ X n, n is
2
The definition of Hill’s estimator to estimate tail-Index ξ is H ( m, n ) =
m k =1
order statistic of X 1 , X 2 ,..., X n (Dekkers, Haan (1989) studied the asymptotic properties of H ( m, n) ). The selection of m in the process of
empirical analysis is very difficult. In general, by observing time series figure of H ( m, n) , in which m = m(n) , then the appropriate estimator will
be selected in the range of which H (m, n) is roughly unchanged. Loretan and Phillips (1994) argued that m should be less than or equal to 0.1 × n .
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distribution function. Based on those, if SME is the increasing function of u (because the slope
ξ > 0 ), then the tail distribution can be estimated as thick tail roughly, and the relatively optimal
threshold value of u can be selected. In aid of this threshold u , the value of Tail-Index ξ can be
estimated with maximum likelihood method.
The testing of estimated Tail-Index with the GPD method can be gained by fitting methods,
such as fitting of truncation distribution, fitting of tail distribution and fitting of residual term, and so
on. Among those methods, (a) truncation distribution fitness is the fitting comparative analysis on
value of Fˆu ( x ) and G ( x, ξˆ,σˆ ) , where Fˆu ( x ) is the empirical distribution function corresponding to
the observed values exceed the threshold value of u . (b) Tail-distribution fitting analysis is the
−1 −1
N x − u ξˆ N x − u ξˆ
fitting comparisons of 1 − F ( x) = u (1 + ξˆ ) and G ( x, ξˆ, σˆ ) , where 1 − F ( x) = u (1 + ξˆ ) is
n σˆ u n σˆ u
an empirical tail distribution function, corresponding to the observed values exceed the threshold
value of u . Meanwhile, the fitting analysis of QQ plot, a plot of the observed data exceeding the
threshold u and function G ( x, ξˆ,σˆ ) , are used to compare and test the rationality of the tail
distribution specification. (c) The fitting testing of the residuals terms. The residual terms are defined
1 ξˆ x
as { log(1 + i ), xi > u} . If the population truncation distribution function is GPD distribution, then
ξˆ σˆ
the QQ plot of the residual term (compared with exponential distribution) should be close to a
straight line with the slope of 1.
3 The estimating and forecasting of the Value-at-Risk
The measuring of the risk can be described by the VaR, which is the greatest latent losses, given
the confidence level and the normal market. Suppose {rt } is the returns time series of some financial
asset or portfolio investment, α is significance level 3 , rt is the returns rate at time t 4 , then the
VaRt (α ) is defined as that it will meet 1-α of following probability:
P(rt ≥ VaRt (α ) Ψ t −1 ) = α
The 1 − α is the upper quantile, which reflects the abnormal liquidation of funds at financial
markets, the volatility of the financial asset prices and the latent loss. From view of statistics, the
value of VaR means the big fractile. Because the returns series often have the character of thick tail
and don’t obey the normal distribution, so the GPD method is adopted to estimate the VaR.
By estimating method of GPD for Tail-Index, as to the enough great threshold value u , the tail
distribution function of the returns rate data is:
−1
N x − u ξˆ
1 − F ( x) ≈ u (1 + ξˆ )
n σˆ
where F ( x) is the distribution function of the returns, N u is the sampling data numbers that the
observed data exceed the threshold value u with the sample size of n . So given the significance
observed sampling numbers exceeds the threshold value in the window, the parameter estimators σ̂ 、
results show as Fig.1, the hypothesis that shr96 is non-stationary is rejected (α =0.01), the hypothesis
that shr 96 is I (0) can be accepted.
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Fig 3.1 Fig. 3.2
distribution function
function).
Fig. 3.3
Fig.4 The point estimation and interval estimation of VaR ( α = 0.001 .the significance interval is 0.95, ξ = 0.2604, σ = 1 ), GPD method
(shr96)
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Fig. 5.1 The one-step forward forecasting outcome of VaR(shr96), (the initial window width is 1000, the significance level is 0.01,
sliding window method step by step )
Note: the left plot is the outcome from GARCH(1,1)-GED model by the method of sliding window , the right plot is the outcome by the method of
expanded the window width, the initial window is specified as 1000, and the significance levels are all 0.01.
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