The Effect of Data Transformation on Common Cycle, Cointegration and Unit Root Tests: Monte Carlo Results and a Simple Test

Valentina Corradi and Norman Swanson ()

Departmental Working Papers from Rutgers University, Department of Economics

Abstract: In the conduct of empirical macroeconomic research, unit root, cointegration, common cycle, and related test statistics are often constructed using logged data, even though there is often no clear reason, at least from an empirical perspective, why logs should be used rather than levels. Unfortunately, it is also the case that standard data transformation tests, such as those based on Box-Cox transformation, cannot be shown to be consistent unless the assumption is made concerning whether the series being examined is I(0) or I(1), so that a sort of circular testing problem exists. In this paper, we discuss two quite different but related issues that arise in the context of data transformation. First, we address the circular testing problem that arises when choosing data transformation and order of integratedness. In particular, we propose a simple randomized procedure, coupled with simple conditioning, for choosing between levels and log-levels specifications in the presence of deterministic and/or stochastic trends. Second, we note that even if pre-testing is not undertaken to determine data transformation, it is important to be aware of the impact that incorrect data transformation has on tests frequently used in empirical works. For this reason, we carry out a series of Monte Carlo experiments illustrating the rather substantive effect that incorrect transformation can have on the finite sample performance of common feature and cointegration tests. These Monte Carlo findings underscore the importance of either using economic theory as a guide to data transformation and/or using econometric tests such as discussed in this paper as aids when choosing data transformation.

Keywords: common cycles; common trends; nonlinear transformation; non stationarity; randomised procedure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C12 C22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003-10-27
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ecm and nep-ets
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sas.rutgers.edu/virtual/snde/wp/2003-22.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The effect of data transformation on common cycle, cointegration, and unit root tests: Monte Carlo results and a simple test (2006)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:rut:rutres:200322

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Departmental Working Papers from Rutgers University, Department of Economics Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by ().