Theoretical econometrics
· Gaussian tests for the null of stationarity
· IV estimator and causality inference from panel data
· Age, period, cohort analysis
· A new methodology for structural VAR
· Mixed frequency regressions
· Effect of temporal aggregation on causal inference
· Box-Cox transformation
· Chow-Lin interpolation
Applied and policy-oriented research
· Subnational economies of Sri Lanka
· Welfare spending and fiscal sustainability
· Quality adjusted labour input
· World business cycle through trade-linked VAR and dynamic factor model
· Macroeconometric modelling for Singapore
· VAR modelling for ACI
· Singapore’s property market and housing affordability
· Singapore’s health care system
· Stress and cancer
· Any applied problem that interests me
Research on Singapore under Econometric Studies Unit (ESU) and Singapore Centre for Applied and Policy Economics (SCAPE)
(ESU Established in 1981 under the Department of Economics, NUS)
(http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/ecs/scape/index.html )
I took over the ESU activities in 1992 and developed a number of econometric models based on quarterly data. The models include a multi-country structural VAR model and a Singapore model. The latter formed the basis of my jointly authored book “The Singapore Economy: An Econometric Perspective” published in 2007.
In Feb 2005 SCAPE was established within the Department of Economics, NUS and ESU became a unit within SCAPE. Funding for SCAPE comes from NUS.
Since early 1990s ESU conducted a one-day annual public policy conference in Jan/Feb and a half-day policy forum in Jul/Aug. Under SCAPE the annual conference was converted to a joint affair with the three main universities (NUS, NTU, SMU) and ESS.
Forecasts and policy analyses based on ESU models have appeared in news media (both local and foreign) regularly. ESU and SCAPE activities have provided high visibility to the Department.
Under SCAPE I also launched a new website on Singapore housing accessibility and affordability. The website provided detailed computations based on ten income deciles and housing types. The methodology was published in a paper in Urban Studies in 2011.
These sites are no-longer maintained by the Department.