Variable bandwidth local maximum likelihood type estimation for diffusion processes

Abstract

The method of robust approach is applied to estimate drift function and diffusion function of diffusion processes with discrete-time observations. The proposed method combines the ideas of local linear regression technique and maximum likelihood type estimation technique, so the advantages of local linear estimators persist and overcome the disadvantages of least-squares estimator. Moreover, a variable bandwidth instead of a constant bandwidth is considered in the local maximum likelihood type estimators. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the local maximum likelihood type estimators for drift and diffusion functions are developed under some given conditions. We perform a simulation study to evaluate the robust performances of the proposed estimators.