Testing for independence between two covariance stationary time series

Abstract

SUMMARY A one-sided asymptotically normal test for independence between two stationary time series is proposed by first prewhitening the two time series and then basing the test on the residual cross-correlation function. The test statistic is a properly standardised version of the sum of weighted squares of residual cross-correlations, with weights depending on a kernel function. Haugh's (1976) test can be viewed as a special case of our approach in the sense that it corresponds to the use of the truncated kernel. Many kernels deliver better power than Haugh's test. A simulation study shows that the new test has good power against short and long cross-correlations.