Hessian not SPD at likelihood mode?

General DSGE Modeling
1

Hello all,

I’ve been trying to extend this 2014 JEDC by Fabio Milani

https://econpapers.repec.org/article/eeedyncon/v_3a47_3ay_3a2014_3ai_3ac_3ap_3a94-114.htm

Which estimates a linear NK model with learning. I’ve tried to code the likelihood function as I interpret it and when maximizing using Matlab’s Fminunc routine gives me a Hessian whose inverse is not semi-positive definite, and therefore cannot be used for the proposal density in a Metropolis Hastings algorithm.

Have any others encountered a similar problem? I thought perhaps I could use the nearest Semi-positive definite matrix to the inverse hessian for the proposal density?

2

This is a very common problem. Have you tried using mode_compute=6 or 9?
Reuben

3

I’ve not figured out how to estimate this particular model using dynare so I’ve tried to compute the likelihood function via the kalman filter myself in a separate file.

What do the 6th or 9th modes in Dynare do when faced with a non-PSD Hessian?

4

Sure, you could use https://git.dynare.org/Dynare/dynare/-/blob/master/matlab/chol_SE.m
However, problems with the Hessian often indicate deeper underlying issues, so forcing the Hessian to be positive definite may mask those issues.