RATS Econometrics Software

RATS (Regression Analysis of Time Series) is a fast, efficient, and comprehensive econometrics and time series analysis software package. For more than two decades, it has been the econometrics software of choice at universities, central banks, and corporations around the world. Our current release, Version 7.2, is easier to use than ever while continuing to offer the most advanced tools available for cutting-edge econometrics research.

We'll take a closer look at the RATS program below. For more details, see the List of Features page or click on any of the menu items at left. You can also download our most recent RATS Brochure in PDF format, which includes general information on Version 7, a list of features, and information on the CATS cointegration analysis package.

Econometrics and Data Management

RATS provides all the basics you expect, including linear and non-linear least squares, forecasting, SUR, and ARIMA models. But it goes far beyond that, with support for techniques like GMM, ARCH and GARCH models, state space models, and more. RATS also offers unmatched support for Vector Autoregression models, and is one of the few programs to offer spectral analysis capabilities.

RATS can handle time series of virtually any frequency, including daily and weekly, as well as panel and cross-section data.

Menu-driven data wizards and support for reading various text, spreadsheet, and database file formats make it easy to get your data into RATS. Our Professional version adds support for more database formats, including SQL/ODBC data access, for even more flexibility.

The RATS Editor

Our interactive RATS Editor environment allows you to quickly implement econometric analysis tasks, and makes it easy to try different model specifications or techniques without having to rerun entire programs.

You can save your work as a RATS program, allowing you to reproduce your results at any time with just a couple of mouse clicks.
(click on images to enlarge)

Point-and-Click Wizards

The editor also offers more than twenty menu-driven Wizards that provide point-and-click access to most common tasks, including reading data, displaying graphs, doing transformations, estimating models, and hypothesis testing. These help make RATS an ideal tool for new users and for use in educational settings.

When you use a Wizard, RATS displays the corresponding commands in the editor window so you can actually learn the RATS language through using the Wizards. This also allows you to use the Wizards to build complete programs that can be re-executed again later.

An often-overlooked aspect of econometric research is ensuring that results are reported accurately. RATS addresses this via a powerful report-generation feature for quickly generating accurate tables of reports, which you can export to text or spreadsheet files for direct inclusion in papers and presentations.

High-Quality Graphs

RATS allows you to create publication-quality time series graphs, scatter plots, and contour graphs.

Programming Capabilities

The command-driven language at the heart of the program remains easy to learn and use for simple jobs, but its extensive programming capabilities also allow you to handle much more complex tasks. Features include user-definable procedures and functions, looping and program control instructions, and the ability to create user-defined menus and dialog boxes. With these capabilities, you can automate complex or repetitive tasks, and even write sophisticated menu- and dialog-driven end-user applications.

All versions of RATS also offer "batch mode" operation. You can run jobs several ways: from the command line; by dragging and dropping files; or by double-clicking on a desktop icon. This is especially helpful for users who need to run the same jobs on a regular basis.

Cross Platform Support

RATS is available for Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, and Linux, with complete compatibility across platforms. You can share programs, data files, output, and graph files across any of these platforms with no translation required.

List of RATS Features

Below is a listing of many of the key features supported by RATS. Please note that RATS is designed to be a very powerful and flexible program, so there is no way we can list all of its capabilities here. If, after looking over this list, you are not sure that RATS can do what you need, just ask us. You can call us at 800-822-8038 or e-mail us at support@estima.com and we'll do our best to answer your question.

Statistical Methods

Estimation Techniques

• Multiple regressions including stepwise
• Regression with autoregressive errors
• Heteroscedasticity/serial-correlation correction, including Newey-West
• Non-linear least squares
• Two-stage least squares for linear, non-linear, and autocorrelated models
• Seemingly unrelated regressions and three-stage least squares
• Non-linear systems estimation
• Generalized Method of Moments
• Maximum likelihood estimation
• Constrained optimization
• Extensive built-in hypothesis testing capabilities.
• Pre-written procedures for a huge variety of other tests, including unit-root, stability, and much more
• Limited and discrete dependent variable models: logit, probit, censored/truncated (Tobit), count models
• Panel data support, including fixed and random effects estimators
• Non-parametric regressions
• Kernel density estimation
• Robust estimation
• Recursive least squares
• State-space models, including Kalman filtering and smoothing, simulations, and optimal control models
• Neural network models
• Linear and quadratic programming
• Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models

Time Series Procedures

• Easy to specify lags and leads for time-series model estimation and analysis
• ARIMA and ARMAX models including multiplicative seasonal models; support for arbitrary lag structures
• Transfer function/intervention models
• Error correction models
• Kalman filter
• Spectral analysis

Forecasting

• Time series models
• Regression models
• Exponential smoothing
• Static or dynamic forecasts
• Simultaneous equation models (unlimited number of equations)
• Simulations with random or user-supplied shocks
• Forecast performance statistics, including Theil U statistics

Vector Autoregressions (VARs)

• Unmatched support for VAR models
• Error Correction models
• Structural VARs. Choice of factorizations, including estimating a factor matrix from a covariance matrix model
• Impulse responses, with Monte Carlo and Importance Sampling techniques for standard error bands.
• Forecasting
• Variance decomposition
• Historical decomposition
• Extensive hypothesis testing tools
• CATS 2.0 add-on provides industry-leading cointegration analysis

ARCH and GARCH Models

• Univariate and multivariate, including BEKK, diagonal, CC, DCC, and Vech multivariate models
• Support for GARCH-in-mean models
• Additional exogenous variables in mean and/or variance equations
• Normal, t and GED distributions
• Asymmetry
• Robust standard errors

Working With Data

Data Entry

• Menu-driven Data Wizards for reading in data
• Reads and writes Excel files, text files, Haver databases, and other formats
• Pro version supports SQL/ODBC
• On-screen data viewer and editor, with point-and-click graphing and statistics tools
• Can handle virtually any data frequency, including daily, weekly, intra-day, and panel data
• Can automatically convert data to different frequencies
• RATS data file format is fast and easy, supports all frequencies, and allows you to store series of different frequencies on the same file

Data Transformations

• Flexible transformations with algebraic formulas
• Easy to create trend series, seasonal, and time period dummies
• Extensive filtering operations, including Hodrick-Prescott, Henderson, Spencer, and custom filters
• Supports regular, seasonal, and fractional differencing

Graphics

• Time series graphics
• X-Y scatter plots
• Dual-scale graphs
• Box plots
• Contour graphs
• Ability to arrange multiple graphs on a single page
• Copy-and-paste graphs into other applications
• Export graphs to many formats, including PostScript and Windows Metafile
• User can customize attributes such as line thickness, colors and grayscale levels, and fill patterns

Interface

Interactive Mode Environment

• Text-editor based
• Point-and-click 뱖izards?for many tasks, greatly enhancing ease-of-use
• Saved programs can be re-run with just a few mouse clicks
• Designed so that you can reproduce results, output, and graphs easily and accurately (a critical but often overlooked requirement for producing reliable, publication-quality results)
• True multiple window support. Simultaneously view your input commands and output, spreadsheet-style 뱑eport?windows, graphs, and more

Programmability

• Extensive looping capabilities and support for applying operations to lists of variables make it possible to automate many repetitive tasks
• You can write procedures, which can perform complex tasks with a single instruction, and write your own callable functions.
• A library of procedures written by rats users from around the world is available free of charge on our web site
• A variety of interface-related instructions allow you to create your own drop-down menus, custom dialog boxes, and more