Panel Unit Root Tests in the Presence of Cross-Sectional Dependencies: Comparison and Implications for Modelling

Several panel unit root tests that account for cross-section dependence using a common factor structure have been proposed in the literature recently. Pesaran's (2007) cross-sectionally augmented unit root tests are designed for cases where cross-sectional dependence is due to a single factor. The Moon and Perron (2004) tests which use defactored data are similar in spirit but can account for multiple common factors. The Bai and Ng (2004a) tests allow to determine the source of nonstationarity by testing for unit roots in the common factors and the idiosyncratic factors separately. Breitung and Das (2008) and Sul (2007) propose panel unit root tests when cross-section dependence is present possibly due to common factors, but the common factor structure is not fully exploited.This article makes four contributions: (1) it compares the testing procedures in terms of similarities and differences in the data generation process, tests, null, and alternative hypotheses considered, (2) using Monte Carlo results it compares the small sample properties of the tests in models with up to two common factors, (3) it provides an application which illustrates the use of the tests, and (4) finally, it discusses the use of the tests in modelling in general.