Fast estimation methods for time series models in state-space form

Abstract

We propose two fast, stable and consistent methods to estimate time series models expressed in their equivalent state-space form. They are useful both, to obtain adequate initial conditions for a maximum-likelihood iteration, or to provide final estimates when maximum-likelihood is considered inadequate or costly. The state-space foundation of these procedures implies that they can estimate any linear fixed-coefficients model, such as ARIMA, VARMAX or structural time series models. The computational and finitesample performance of both methods is very good, as a simulation exercise shows.