Overview: LIMDEP 8.0

LIMDEP takes the form of an econometrics studio. Analysis of a data set is done

interactively in a set of windows. Program control may be from a 'script' or in

an unstructured session of instructions and manipulations. The program is

designed to allow easy setup of data for estimation, specification of different

forms of the models, experimentation with different specifications, hypothesis

testing, analysis of data and model results and construction of special procedures

and estimators. The following sections will list in detail the set of program

features and tools supported in Version 8.0.

CROSS SECTION, PANEL DATA, and TIME SERIES:

CROSS SECTION

Most of the models and data analyses done with LIMDEP are oriented to cross

sectional, individual level data. These include:

• Descriptive statistics
• Descriptive graphics
• Linear regression models
• Models for discrete choices
• Models for censoring and truncation
• Models for count data
• Models for stochastic frontier production and cost functions
• Models for survival and duration data
• Numeric, alphanumeric (string), and date series; value labels
• Extensive library of operators and statistical, mathematical, date and string functions
• and many more. Data sets in this context may be large. The program allows up to 3,000,000 observations and 900 variables, which should accommodate all but the most ambitious analyses.

PANEL DATA

Nearly all of the models in LIMDEP may be analyzed with special tools for panel data. This includes fixed and random effects, random parameters and latent class models for almost all nonlinear models supported by the package. There are also numerous special estimators for the linear model, such as Arellano and Bond's GMM estimator for dynamic panels and Hausman and Taylor's estimator for random effects models. No panel data operation anywhere in the program requires that the data set be balanced. Most estimators place no limit on the number of groups in the panel - the data set is already 'in the program' so it must already fit in memory. Many tools in addition to the estimation programs are also provided. For example, you can bootstrap sample groups in your panel data set, a feature we have not seen anywhere else.

TIME SERIES

LIMDEP is not best known for its time series features. Nonetheless, a range of estimators for time series modeling are presented, including autoregressive and moving average models, ARMAX models, GARCH and GARCH-in-mean models. We also provide a set of analysis tools, such as spectral density estimation, ACF and PACF, Phillips-Perron tests, the Newey-West estimator, and so on.

MODELS:

A full list of the models that can be fit with LIMDEP appears elsewhere so we'll just give a partial list here:

CROSS SECTION

• Descriptive statistics including means, variance, skewness, etc.
• Linear regression
• Multiple equations linear and nonlinear models
• Loglinear models: Weibull, inverse Gauss, beta, log-gamma
• Binary choice including probit, logit, and several other formulations
• Bivariate probit
• Multivariate probit
• Logit models, binomial and multinomial - discrete choice models
• Ordered probit and logit
• Nonlinear least squares regression
• Censored data (tobit)
• Models for count data
• Survival models
• Sample selection
• Stochastic frontiers.

PANEL DATA

• Fixed effects (true fixed effects - the dummy variable coefficients are estimated)
• Time series - cross section, variance structure models
• Random effects
• Random parameters
• Latent class
• Dynamic panel data models - Arelland-Bond-Bover estimator
• Hausman and Taylor's instrumental variable estimator

TIME SERIES MODELS

·        ARMAX

·        GARCH and GARCH in mean

·        Autoregressive and moving average regressions

USER SPECIFIED MODELS

MAXIMIZE/MINIMIZE allow you to specify the likelihood function for your own model. GMM estimation can be specified instead.

POST ESTIMATION:

Model estimation is only part of the data analysis. By 'post estimation,' we mean the manipulation of model results along with other statistics and procedures.

RECOVERABLE RESULTS

All model estimates are 'recoverable.' Coefficients and asymptotic covariance matrices are retained and integrated into the matrix algebra package. Numerical values such as log likelihoods and sums of squares are recoverable and useable, by name, for example, in testing hypotheses or computing diagnostic statistics.

SIMULATION AND PREDICTION

Estimated models may be used for simulations and for computing predictions, generalized residuals, and other functions for forecasting and specification analysis.

PROGRAMMING TOOLS FOR MANIPULATING MODEL RESULTS

Program tools are provided for manipulating results. One of the most useful is the WALD command which is used to compute nonlinear functions and asymptotic variances for nonlinear functions of model estimates. Programming the derivatives for the delta method is unnecessary.

ESTIMATION EXTENSIONS

Facilities are provided for bootstrap sampling cross sections and from panels. Thus, bootstrap standard errors can easily be computed. All model results can be retained for use in other program functions. Programming two step estimators is simple.

PROGRAMMING TOOLS AND FLEXIBILITY:

LIMDEP's program features are an extensive set of fully integrated analysis tools. All of these tools interact to produce a studio, or 'laboratory' format for econometric analysis. Exploratory manipulation and estimation, including experimentation such as Monte Carlo analysis, are straightforward. These tools include:

DATA INPUT AND OUTPUT

Read and write ASCII, binary, spreadsheet, and other types of files.

TRANSFORMATIONS

Algebraic transformations, dozens of functions, sort, recode, expand and collapse categorical variables.

SAMPLE DEFINITION

Include or reject by algebraic criteria, time periods by date, bootstrapping cross sections or panel data, random sampling with random number generators.

MATRIX ALGEBRA

Full algebraic capabilities and over 75 matrix functions such as determinant, rank, characteristic roots, several types of inverses, and so on. Data and model results are combined seamlessly in this routine.

SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR

Over 100 functions plus algebraic results.

ESTIMATION PROGRAMS

Nearly 100 different preprogrammed estimators for all types of cross section, time series, and panel data settings, including continuous data, discrete choice, count data, survival data, and censored, truncated and limited dependent variables.

USER DEFINED MODELS

MAXIMIZE/MINIMZE allow you to define your own optimization problem, including maximum likelihood, GMM and nonlinear least squares. These also allow quadrature and simulation estimators.

PROGRAMMING TOOLS

Procedures with adjustable parameters, DO FOR, DO WHILE and DO UNTIL, EXECUTE with bootstrapping and so on allow you to write your own iterative procedures

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Integration, differentiation, function plotting, computation of variances for nonlinear functions of estimates.

DOCUMENTATION:

LIMDEP 8.0 DOCUMENTATION

The LIMDEP 8.0 set of manuals, with nearly 2000 pages, contains full reference guides for the program, background econometrics, and sample applications. The LIMDEP documentation consists of two parts:

LIMDEP 8.0 Reference Guide

The Reference Guide provides all instructions for operating the program, including installation, invocation, and most of the basic setup operations that precede model estimation. These operations include reading and transforming data and setting the sample. This manual also describes the optimization procedures, how to use the matrix algebra package and scalar scientific calculator as stand alone tools and as part of LIMDEP programs, what sorts of results are produced by the program, and some of the common features of the model estimation programs, such as how to do post estimation analysis of model results. Two other components of the Reference Guide are a summary of how the model commands are documented in the Econometric Modeling Guide and a complete listing of the program diagnostics.

LIMDEP 8.0 Econometric Modeling Guide, Volume 1 and Volume 2

The 29 chapters of this guide are arranged in two volumes. These provide the econometric background, LIMDEP commands, and examples with data, commands and results. Topics are arranged by modeling framework, not by program command. There are chapters on

·          Descriptive statistics

·        Linear regression

·        Panel data analysis

·        Heteroscedasticity

·        Binary choice models

·        Models for count data

·        Censored and truncated data

·        Survival models

and many others. Each model fit by the program is fully documented. The full set of formulas for all computations are shown in this manual with the full mathematical documentation of the models. Additional chapters in this guide show how to do numerical analysis, how to program your own estimators, and provide a full listing of diagnostics.

NLOGIT 3.0 DOCUMENTATION

The NLOGIT 3.0 set of manuals consist of the three LIMDEP 8.0 manuals plus a separate reference guide for NLOGIT.

NLOGIT 3.0 Reference Guide

The roughly 200 pages of this NLOGIT Reference Guide give complete instructions for specifying and estimating discrete choice models with NLOGIT. The model simulator is also documented here.The LIMDEP 8.0 set of manuals, with nearly 2000 pages, contains full reference guides for the program, background econometrics, and sample applications. The LIMDEP documentation consists of two parts:

ACCURACY:

LIMDEP uses extremely accurate computational methods throughout. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a suite of about 50 benchmark tests with certified solutions for assessing program accuracy in computing descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, linear regression and nonlinear least squares regression. LIMDEP scores high marks on all of these (see B.D. McCullough's review in the March, 1999 issue of Journal of Applied Econometrics.).

PROGRAM CAPABILITIES IN DETAIL

LIMDEP contains extensive sets of tools for every step in the analysis of a data set.

DATA MANAGEMENT

Data setup includes input, transformation, and setting sample specifications. Data management tools provide for input of data or internal generation with the random number generators, and other preparation of data for use in model estimation and analysis. Also sample definition is specified by selection of observations or bootstrapping random samples from within the data.

DATA INPUT AND OUTPUT

These are features of the program operation of importing data into the program and exporting data from LIMDEP to other programs - the read (import) and write (export) operations. You can also transform and examine the data within the program.

Read (import data)

·          ASCII, XLS, WKS, Binary, DIF, CSV

·          LIMDEP is supported by DBMS/Copy and Stat/Transfer

·          Merge individual and group level data in a panel data set

·          Recode alphanumeric data to numeric values on input

·          Observation labels in spreadsheet files

·          Up to 3,000,000 observations

·          Blanks and other nonnumerics automatically converted to missing values

·          SAS ‘.’ automatically converted to missing values

·          Merge data with command files for scripts

·          Fortran formatted

·          Append observations to existing variables (stack multiple files)

·          Format by observations (rows) or by variables (columns) - transpose

Write (export data)

·        ASCII

·        CSV (can be read directly into Excel, Lotus)

·        DIF

·        Binary

·        WKS

·        LIMDEP system files can be read by Stat/Transfer and DBMS/Copy

·        Matrices may be written as exported data files

·         

Spreadsheet style data editor

Transformations: algebraic, recoding, sorting, existing or new variables

Random number generators for random sampling

List observations

Sample selection and definition: include, reject, sample

Read from and write to output window on the screen

DATA TRANSFORMATIONS

These operations are used to compute functions of your data and to create new variables. Data may either be imported into the environment or may be created internally using the random number generators.

Command Structures

·        Conditional: If(...), Else, Then...

·        Parentheses to any number of levels

·        Implied multiplication of grouped variables and expressions

Algebraic Transformations

·          Standard operators: + - * / ^ (power)

·          Binary variable operators: x > 1 = 1(x > 1) likewise for <, >= etc.

·          Comparison operators: x ! y = max(x,y), x ~ y = ,in(x,y)

·          Expand categorical variable into a set of dummy variables

Functions

·          Log, Exp, Abs, Sqr, Sin, Rsn (arcsin), Cos, Rcs (arccos), Tan

·          Gamma, digamma, trigamma, log gamma, beta

·          Sign, fix (round to nearest integer), integer part

·          Box-Cox transformation and derivatives of Box-Cox

Probability Distributions

·          Logistic: logit function, density, cdf

·          Univariate normal: density, cdf, truncated means and variances, sample selection ‘lambda,’ inverse normal cdf, inverse cdf to pdf

·          Bivariate normal: pdf, cdf, partial derivatives

·          Multivariate normal: cdf

Trends and Seasonal Dummy Variables

Stratification Variables and Period Variables for Panels

Leads and Lags

Matrix Functions: Dot Products, quadratic Forms

Sample Statistical Transformations

·        Means, deviations, standardized variables

·        Panel data, group means and deviations

·        Rowwise moments of a set of variables

·        Multiple of a set of variables

Random Number Generation

·        Continuous random variables, uniform, normal, lognormal, t, chi-squared, F, exponential, Weibull, Gumbel, gamma, beta, logistic, Cauchy, truncated standard normal

·        Discrete random variables: Poisson, discrete uniform, binomial, geometric

·        Halton sequences

Recode Ranges of Values or Recode Specific Values to Discrete

Sort Ascending or Descending (Carry other Variables and/or Labels)

SAMPLING AND BOOTSTRAPPING

These features are used to define the specific observations to be used in the estimation procedures or other computations that access the data. The first group are used to define the ‘current sample.’ The second group are used to ‘subsample’ from the sample, using either a random subset of the current sample, or the ‘leave one out’ procedure of the jackknife procedure.

Sampling

·          Include observations based on algebraic condition

·          Reject observations based on algebraic conditions

·          Period - specify time interval to be in sample

·          Sample - specify particular observations or ranges of observations

Bootstrap and Jacknife

·        Draw specified number of observations from current sample

·        Draw with replacement

·        Draw specified number of groups in a panel data set

·        Execute a procedure a specified number of times, drawing a new bootstrap sample with each repetition

·        Execute using jackknife procedure for sampling

·        Maximum score binary choice estimator uses bootstrapping

·        Regression, least absolute deviations uses bootstrapping

The EXECUTE procedure may be used to bootstrap any estimator in the program whether one of the supported procedures or one that is created by the user. The command specifies the matrix or scalar to be bootstrapped. It may be anything that the program specifies.

Application

A simple application illustrates estimating a standard error for a nonparametric statistic. Suppose we have two sets of rankings of 100 items, labeled R1 and R2. The rank correlation between them is computed as

Since the statistic is distribution free, we can only approximate its asymptotic variance. The following computes 100 bootstrap samples and estimates the mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis of W and displays a histogram of the estimates.

PROC

CREATE  ; DiffSq = (R1 - R2)^2 $

CALC    ; RankCor = 1 - 6 * Sum(DiffSq) / (n*(n^2-1)) $

ENDPROC $

EXECUTE ; N = 100 ; Bootstrap = RankCor ; Histogram $

Completed   100 bootstrap iterations.

+------------------------------------------+

| Results of bootstrap estimation of model.|

| Model has been reestimated   100 times.  |

| Statistics shown below are centered      |

| around the  original estimate  based on  |

| the original full sample of observations.|

| Result is RANKCOR  =       .34512        |

| Bootstrap samples have  100 observations.|

| Estimate  RtMnSqDev  Skewness   Kurtosis |

|     .345       .180     1.278      1.790 |

| Minimum =      .254  Maximum =      .701 |

+------------------------------------------+

Features02

The bootstrapped quantity in the procedure can be anything that the program computes using any instruction, model estimator, or other procedure.

MONTE CARLO ANALYSIS

Random Number Generation

·          Continuous random variables: uniform, normal, lognormal, t, chi-squared, F, exponential, Weibull, Gumbel, gamma, beta, logistic, Cauchy, truncated standard normal

·          Discrete random variables: Poisson, discrete uniform, binomial, geometric

·          Several estimators use Halton draws instead (pseudo Monte Carlo draws). Users may generate Halton sequences.

Bootstrapping

·        Draw specified number of observations from current sample

·        Draw with replacement

·        Draw specified number of groups in a panel data set

·        Execute a procedure a specified number of times, drawing a new bootstrap sample with each repetition

The executed procedure may be used to bootstrap any estimator in the program whether one of the supported procedures or one that is created by the user. The command specifies the matrix or scalar to be bootstrapped. It may be anything that the program specifies.

Estimation

Randomly generated data enter the sample exactly the same as external, real data. Monte Carlo samples may be specified and used with any estimation procedure or any other part of the program that uses data.

Example: Fixed effects probit model

The following program does a Monte Carlo study of the fixed effects probit estimator. We fit the model 20 times with randomly generated data and compute descriptive statistics for the estimated parameter vectors. The underlying theory states that the estimator is biased when T is small. (The example is consistent with it - the estimator appears to be badly biased in our study with T = 5.) This program illustrates several features of LIMDEP.

/*  We investigate the behavior of the fixed effects estimator

    in the panel probit model

    y*(i,t) = a(i) + b1 * x(i,t) + b2 * d(i,t) + e(i,t),

    x(i,t) is a continuous variable, d(i,t) is a dummy variable

    and both b1 and b2 equal 1.  The model is fit 20 times

    with randomly generated data on a(i) x(i,t) and d(i,t) all

    (reused) and e(i,t) resampled for each replication.

*/

SAMPLE ; 1 - 5000 $ (Sample length is constant)

CREATE ; xit = rnn(0,1) ; dit=(rnu(-.5,.5)+xit) > 0 

       ; i5=trn(5,0) $  (I5 = 1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,...)

MATRIX ; u=rndm(1000) ?  Random matrix for fixed effects

       ; a5  = gxbr(xit,i5)$ Group means of x variable

CREATE ; ai = sqr(5)*a5(i5)+u(i5) ? Fixed effects correlated with x

       ; index  =  ai + xit + dit ; br = 0 ; dr = 0 $

NAMELIST; repl = br,dr $      ? Group two variables

?

? Achieve replicability by using a known seed for generator

?

CALC   ; Ran(55377) $

?

? Set parameters for the simulation. Values can be changed

?

PROC  = MCset(Tir,Nir) $

CALC    ; Ti = Tir ; Nobs = Nir ; NT = Ti*Nobs ; i = 0 $

SAMPLE  ; 1 - NT $  Sample set to NT = 5000.

MATRIX  ; beta = init(20,2,0.0) $  Place to store results

ENDPROC

?

? This runs the replication.

? Binomial Probit is fit by unconditional maximum likelihood

?

PROC = MCrun$

CREATE ; eit = Rnn(0,1) ; yit = (index + eit) > 0 $

CALC   ; i = i + 1 $

PROBIT ; Lhs = yit ; Rhs = xit,dit ;  Pds = Ti ; Fixed effects $

MATRIX ; beta(i,*) = b $   Save estimated parameters in row i.

ENDPROC

?

? T=5, N=1000 groups

?

EXECUTE ; Proc = MCset(5,1000) $            ? Setup simulation

EXECUTE ; Proc = MCrun ; n = 20 ; Silent $  ? 20 replications

SAMPLE  ; 1 - 20 $                          ? Describe results

CREATE  ; repl = beta $       ? Copy matrix to 2 variables

DSTAT   ; rhs  = repl $       ? Examine the results

The following results emerge. The theory appears to be correct; the estimates (means) deviate substantially from the theoretical values of 1.0 and 1.0.

====================================================================

Variable        Mean         Std.Dev.        Minimum         Maximum

====================================================================

BR        1.60317327      .100071915      1.37897075      1.82531768

DR        1.42251625      .190029262      1.04402871      1.78544870

WEIGHTED DATA

Weighted Least Squares and Weighted Log Likelihoods

Weights may be used with any estimator in any context.

Replication Weights

Weights are automatically scaled to sum to the number of observations in the sample. You may override this to request replications or simple unscaled weights.

Panel Data

Time invariant weights may be used to weight groups in panel data estimators.

Choice Based Sampling

Endogenous sampling weights may be specified for discrete choice models. This is coupled with a robust estimator of the asymptotic covariance matrix of the estimator. (Manski-Lerman WESML estimator.)

RANDOM NUMBER GENERATION

Stata of the Art Random Number Generator

LIMDEP uses L’Ecuyer’s multiple part random number generator. This generator has a period of roughly 2¹³² draws. (This is more than 10³⁹.) This is large enough to avoid recycling in any conceivable Monte Carlo study.

·          Set seed for the generator: random samples can be replicated.

·          Continuous random variables: uniform, normal, truncated normal, lognormal, t, chi-squared, F, exponential, Weibull, Gumbel, gamma, beta, logistic, Cauchy

·          Discrete random variables: Poisson, discrete uniform, binomial, geometric

Randomness Tests

The random number generators in LIMDEP and three other programs were subjected to the ‘DIEHARD’ battery of 15 tests of randomness in McCullough’s (Journal of Applied Econometrics, 1999) study. LIMDEP’s generator passed all but one. Only one of the four programs passed all tests and the other two failed most of them.

Halton Sequences

This is a new method of computing simulation based integrals through use of nonrandom sequences. LIMDEP uses these in several places, and provides a function so users can create them for their own estimators.

DATA DESCRIPTION AND GRAPHICS

Descriptive statistics and graphical tools provide a range of options for preliminary description of your data set. Data description includes computation of statistics as well as graphical tools such as scatter plots and time plots.

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS FOR CROSS SECTIONS AND PANELS

Summary Measures

·          Means (arithmetic, geometric), standard deviations, minima, maxima

·          Medians, sample quantiles (deciles, quartiles)

·          Covariances

·          Correlations (Pearson, rank)

·          Coefficient of concordance for a set of ranks

·          Autocorrelations

·          Canonical correlations

·          Principal components

·          Condition number for data matrices

Normality Test

·          Skewness, kurtosis

·          Normal-quantile plot

·          Chi-squared test

Example:

This is a description of Mroz’s (1987) Labor Supply Data. FAMINC is family income, stratified by KIDS, which indicates whether there are children in the household (1 = no, 2 = yes).

All results based on nonmissing observations.

Stratification is based on KIDS