Testing for Infinite Order Stochastic Dominance with Applications to Finance, Risk and Income Inequality

Abstract

The authors develop a test of infinite degree stochastic dominance based on the use of the empirical moment generating function. Two applications are considered. One uses the income data of Anderson (Econometrica, 1996) and derives results consistent with his. In the other application, the dominance between the US and UK stockmarkets is examined. Using data on the SP 500 and the FTALL-Share, it is shown that the US displays infinite degree stochastic dominance over the UK.