E-Backtesting Expected Shortfall without Value-at-Risk Forecasts under Time-series Models

Ruodu Wang and Jingcheng Yu

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Abstract: Expected Shortfall (ES) measures the average size of tail losses. Its sequential backtests typically also require a Value-at-Risk (VaR) forecast. We develop two e-backtesting methods using only observed losses and ES forecasts: one for iid losses only and the other for time series under an AR-GARCH conditional VaR structure. Under the stated assumptions, both control false rejections at any stopping time. For the time-series method, validity requires a fixed parameter--quantile pair representing the conditional VaR path and a positive report margin. The time-series statistic takes an infimum over possible parameter and VaR values. We choose the betting process $(\lambda_t)$ by maximizing an empirical growth rate averaged across candidate parameters. We compute the statistic by continuous VaR profiling on a dense parameter grid. For grid approximations, we prove convergence to the continuous infimum, together with convergence of the probability of false rejection, as the grid is refined over a fixed monitoring period. Lower and upper bounds for the VaR infimum on the parameter grid control the accuracy of the numerical profiling. Simulations, including ES reports that change from over-reporting to under-reporting, and an application to daily NASDAQ losses provide numerical comparisons with VaR--ES e-processes and fixed-sample ES backtests, assessing detection frequencies and the timing of rejections.

Date: 2026-10
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