Partially linear models with unit roots

This paper studies the asymptotic properties of a nonstationary partially linear regression model. In particular, we allow for covariates to enter the unit root (or near unit root) model in a nonparametric fashion, so that our model is an extension of the semiparametric model analyzed in Robinson (1988, Econometrica 56, 931-954). It is proved that the autoregressive parameter can be estimated at rate N even though part of the model is estimated nonparametrically. Unit root tests based on the semiparametric estimate of the autoregressive parameter have a limiting distribution that is a mixture of a standard normal and the Dickey-Fuller distribution. A Monte Carlo experiment is conducted to evaluate the performance of the tests for various linear and nonlinear specifications.