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Baltagi article on asymptotic power of the sphericity test published in Econometric Reviews

Apr 30, 2017

Asymptotic power of the sphericity test under weak and strong factors in a fixed effects panel data model

Badi H. Baltagi, Chihwa Kao & Fa Wang

Econometric Reviews, April 2017

Badi H. Baltagi

Badi H. Baltagi


This paper studies the asymptotic power for the sphericity test in a fixed effect panel data model proposed by Baltagi et al. (2011), (JBFK). This is done under the alternative hypotheses of weak and strong factors. By weak factors, the authors mean that the Euclidean norm of the vector of the factor loadings is O(1). By strong factors, they mean that the Euclidean norm of the vector of factor loadings is , where n is the number of individuals in the panel. To derive the limiting distribution of JBFK under the alternative, the authors first derive the limiting distribution of its raw data counterpart. Their results show that, when the factor is strong, the test statistic diverges in probability to infinity as fast as Op(nT). However, when the factor is weak, its limiting distribution is a rightward mean shift of the limit distribution under the null. Second, the authors derive the asymptotic behavior of the difference between JBFK and its raw data counterpart. Their results show that when the factor is strong, this difference is as large as Op(n). In contrast, when the factor is weak, this difference converges in probability to a constant. Taken together, these results imply that when the factor is strong, JBFK is consistent, but when the factor is weak, JBFK is inconsistent even though its asymptotic power is nontrivial.