A nonparametric test of conditional autoregressive heteroscedasticity for threshold autoregressive models

Threshold autoregressive models are widely used in time-series applications. When building or using such a model, it is important to know whether conditional heteroscedasticity exists. The authors propose a nonparametric test of this hypothesis. They develop the large-sample theory of a test of nonlinear conditional heteroscedasticity adapted to nonlinear autoregressive models and study its finite-sample properties through simulations. They also provide percentage points for carrying out this test, which is found to have very good power overall.