EViews Training

Data Objects: Data Functions

Note: Information for examples in this tutorial can be found in these files.
 Data: Data.xlsx
 Results: Results.wf1
 Practice Workfile: Data.wf1
Data and Workfile Documentation
• Data.wf1 and Data.xlsx have the following data:

• Workfile Page: Timeseries (Data.xlsx tab Timeseries):

quarterly, Q1 1980 – Q1 2012
 GDP – real GDP data (billions of dollars) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
 PCE – real consumption data (billions of dollars) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
 Inv – real private sector investments (billions of dollars) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
 G – real government spending (billions of dollars) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
 y – a series that grows over time (trend series).

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Data Functions
• EViews has a large number of built-in functions that allow you to perform
data manipulation.

• EViews functions are typically denoted by the symbol “@”.

• This tutorial reviews some typical functions used for data manipulation,
such as:
 Random numbers
 Statistical Functions
 Commonly Used Time Series Functions

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Generating Random Numbers
Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Example 1
• You can generate a series of (pseudo) random numbers drawn from a variety
of distributions.
• There are a number of ways to generate a random series.
Generating a random series: Example 1
1. Open EViews workfile Data.wf1.
2. Select Quick → Generate Series from the main menu.
3. Type y1 = nrnd in the dialog box and press Enter.

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Example 1 (cont’d)
• The result is shown here.

• As seen, this generates a

series y1, which is normally
distributed with mean 0 and
standard deviation equal to 1.

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Example 2
• Alternatively, you can create a random series by typing in the command window.

Generating a random series: Example 2

1. Type in the command window:
series z=nrnd
2. Press Enter.

• This creates a new series z, which

is normally distributed with mean 0
and standard deviation equal to 1.

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Example 3
• Suppose you want to simulate a random walk process with distribution
properties similar to the observed distribution of an existing series (for
example, gdp):
Generating a random series: Example 3
1. Type in the command window:
smpl @all
series newdata = 0
smpl 1980q2 @last
newdata=newdata(-1)+@mean(d(gdp))
+@stdev(d(gdp))*nrnd
2. Press Enter after each command line.

• Note: for an explanation of statistical functions @mean, @stdev, or d(gdp), see

Descriptive Statistics in this tutorial.
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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Example 3 (cont’d)
• Here we show both the new
series (newdata) and the GDP
series.
• As seen, the command has
generated a series newdata, which
follows the same distribution
process as the gdp series.
• Note that the commands instruct
EViews to first create a new series
(newdata) consisting of zeros.
• Then, from the second observation
(1980q2) onwards it sums the
preceding observation with the
mean and standard deviation of
differenced gdp (multiplied by a
normal random variable).

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
Common Functions/Commands
• EViews has a number of functions/commands that allow you to draw from a
variety of distributions.
• The most commonly used functions/commands are summarized below.

Common Commands/Functions
Function/Command Description
series y=nrnd or (y=@rnorm) Normal distribution (mean 0, st. dev. 1)

series y=3+@sqr(4)*nrnd Normal distribution (mean 3, variance 4)

series y=@rlognorm(1,4) Lognormal distribution (mean=1, st. dev 4)

series y=@runif(1,3) Uniform distribution on (1,3)

series y=rnd Uniform distribution on (0,1)

series y=1+(3-1)* rnd Uniform distribution on (1,3) (same as @runif(1,3))

series y=rndint(0,100) Fills series y with random integers drawn randomly from 0
to 100

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
PDF and CDF
• It is also very easy to generate the pdf and cdf of a random variable.

Generating a random series together with its pdf and cdf:

1. Type in the command window:
smpl @all
series d1=@ruinf(0,2)
show d1 @dunif(d1,0,2) @cunif(d1,0,2)
2. Press Enter after each command line.

Function Description
series d1 = @runif(0,2) Creates d1 as uniform distribution on (0,2)
show d1 @dunif(d1,0,2) @cunif(d1,0,2) Displays series d1 created above, pdf of
d1 and cdf of d1

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Generating Random Numbers (Series):
PDF and CDF (cont’d)
• The result is shown here.
• As you can see, EViews displays
all three columns: the actual new
random variable we created (d1),
its density function (in the second
column) and its cumulative
distribution function (third
column).

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Functions for Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive Statistics
• EViews has extensive built-in descriptive statistical functions.
• These descriptive statistical functions take an optional sample as an argument.
• The default sample is the current workfile range.

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Descriptive Statistics
Common Commands/Functions
Common Commands/Functions
Function Description
series y=@gmean(x) Computes the geometric average of X

series y=@mean(x) Creates a series where each observation is equal to the mean
of X

series y=@mean(x,“1980m01 Creates a series where each observation is equal to the mean
1990m12”) of X for the defined sample (1980m01 to 1990m12)

series y=@median(x) Creates a series where each observation is equal to the

median of X
series y=@vars(x) Computes the sample variance of X (adj. by n-1)

series y=@varp(x) or Computes the population variance of X (adj. by n)

y=@var(x)

series y=@stdev(x) or Computes the sample st. dev. of X (adj. by n-1)

y=@stdevs(x)

series y=@stdevp(x) Computes the population st. dev. of X (adj. by n)

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 1
• Suppose you want to create a series x1, which is equal to the mean of the
“gdp” series.

Descriptive Statistics Functions: Example 1

1. Type in the command window:
series x1=@mean(gdp)
2. Press Enter.

• This creates a new series x1 which has

all elements equal to the mean of GDP.

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 2
• As a next example, consider creating another series x2, which is equal to the
mean of the “gdp” series, defined over several sub-samples:
Descriptive Statistics Functions: Example 2
1. Type in the command window:
smpl 1980q1 1989q4
series x2=@mean(gdp, "1980q1 1989q4")
smpl 1990q1 1999q4
series x2=@mean(gdp, "1990q1 1999q4")
smpl 2000q1 @last
series x2=@mean(gdp, "2000q1 @last")
smpl @all
2. Press Enter after each command line.

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 2 (cont’d)
• The result is shown here. For
ease of exposition, we plot
the graph of the series.

• As you can see, EViews has

created a step-wise function
defined over the various samples
as we specified in the command
line.

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 3
• Suppose you want to create a variable which is the average (or sum) of
multiple series.
Descriptive Statistics Functions: Example 3
1a. One way to do this is to type the following in the command window :
series new=(gdp+pce+inv)/3
1b. Another way, would be to type in the command window group row functions:
group groupdata gdp pce inv

This creates a new group (named “groupdata”) with containing the three series.
2b. Now type the following command in the command window:
series new=@rmean(groupdata)

This creates a series which is computed by taking the mean of all the three series for each
row.
3. Press Enter after each command line.

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 4
• Suppose you want to collect descriptive statistics in a vector (or matrix).

Descriptive Statistics Functions: Example 4

1. Let’s first define the sample over which descriptive stats are computed. Type in
the command window:
smpl 1980m01 1990m12
2. Next, let’s create a vector v by typing in the command window:
vector(3) v
3. Next, define the vector elements to gather the desired statistics, by typing in the
command window:
v(1)=@mean(gdp)
v(2)= @varp(gdp)
v(3)= @covs(gdp,pce)
4. Press Enter after each command line.

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Descriptive Statistics Functions:
Example 4 (cont’d)
Explanations of commands/functions for Example 4
Function Description
smpl 1980q01 1990q04 Defines the sample over which descriptive stats are computed
vector(3) v Creates a vector v with 3 elements

v(1)=@mean(gdp) Assigns the first element of the vector v to equal the mean of gdp
over the defined sample

v(2)=@varp(gdp) Assigns the second element of the vector v to equal the

population variance of gdp (adj. by n)
v(3)=@covs(gdp,pce) Assigns the third element of the vector v to equal the sample
covariance between gdp and pce (adj. by n-1)

• Note that the optional sample argument may only be used if the results are assigned to
a series. For example: series y=@mean(x[,s]) – where s is the sample, allows you to
define the sample as the last argument of the descriptive statistic function.
• If results are assigned into a matrix, vector or scalar object (as in example above), the
sample needs to be defined explicitly before using the descriptive statistical functions.

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 Common Time-Series Functions
(Lags/Leads, Differences, Percent Change, Moving Statistics, Trends)
Lags & Leads
• It is easy to work with lags/leads and other time series functions in Eviews.
• You do not need to generate series of lags/leads in many places in
EViews; simply write the command for them when needed (i.e., when
estimating a regression).

Common Commands/Functions
Function Description
gdp(-4) Denotes the 4th lag of the GDP series
gdp(2) Denotes the 2nd lead of the GDP series
gdp (-1 to -4) Specifies all GDP lags from 1 to 4
gdp(to -5) OR gdp (0 to -5) Specifies all GDP lags from 0 to -5
series y = @lag(gdp,3) Generates series y, as the 3rd lag of GDP
series y =@lag((gdp-inv)/gdp,4) Generates series y, as the 4th lag of the transformation
(gdp-inv)/gdp

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Lags & Leads:
Example 1
• Create and show the 4th lag of the variable gdp.

Lags & Leads: Example 1

1. Type in the command window:
smpl @all
show gdp gdp(-4)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that this creates a new group

which contains both the gdp series and
its fourth lag (we requested that both
series appear)
• If you would like to save the group,
click the button and name the
group.

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Lags & Leads:
Example 2
• Create and show the 2nd lead of the variable gdp.

Lags & Leads: Example 2

1. Type in the command window:
show gdp gdp(2)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that this creates a new group

which contains both the gdp series and
its 2nd lead (we requested that both
series appear)
• We have saved and named the group
(group 04).

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Lags & Leads:
Example 3
• You can just as easily create a number of lags in EViews
• For example, you may show the actual value and all first three lags of gdp.

Lags & Leads: Example 3

1. Type in the command window:
show gdp(0 to -3)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that this creates a new group

which contains the gdp series and
all lags from 1 to 3.

• The group is saved as group 05.

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Lags & Leads:
Example 4
• You can also create a series as a lagged transformation of other series.

Lags & Leads: Example 4

1. Type in the command window:
series newseries=@lag((gdp-inv)/gdp,4)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that the new series is first computed as:

(gdp-inv)/gdp.

• Then, the fourth lag is taken.

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Differences:
Example 1
• EViews has several build-in functions for working with differenced data
(levels and logs).
•Function Description
d(gdp) = gdp - gdp(-1) Takes the first difference of the GDP series

Differences : Example 1
1. Type in the command window:
show d(gdp)
2. Press Enter.
• Note that for comparison purposes
here we have shown both the d(gdp)
series and another series where the
difference is computed manually
(gdp-gdp(-1)). As seen, they are the
same.

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Differences:
Example 2
• Log-difference:
•Function Description
dlog(gdp) = log(gdp) – log(gdp(-1)) Takes the first difference of log(GDP) series

Differences : Example 2
1. Type in the command window:
show dlog(gdp)
2. Press Enter.

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Differences:
Example 3
• EViews also allows you to take higher order differences (of levels and logs):
Function Description
d(gdp,3) 3rd order difference of GDP series ((1-L)3X) (Note: This is
NOT the same as X-X(-3); it is X-3X(-1)+3X(-2)-X(-3))

Differences : Example 3
1. Type in the command window:
show d(gdp,3)
2. Press Enter.

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Differences:
Example 4
• Higher-order differences in logs
Function Description
dlog(gdp,4) 4th order difference of log(GDP) series ((1-L)3log(X).

Differences : Example 4
1. Type in the command window:
show dlog(gdp,4)
2. Press Enter.

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Seasonal Differences
• You can also take seasonal differences after specifying both ordinary and
seasonal difference terms:

Function Description
d(gdp,1,4) 1st order differences with seasonal difference in lag 4

d(gdp,0,4) Captures only seasonal difference (at lag 4)

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Percent Change
• EViews also has a number of functions dealing with percent changes.

Common Functions
Function Description
@pc(gdp) calculates the one-period percent change in GDP (in percent)

@pch(gdp) calculates the one-period percent change in GDP (in decimal)

@pca(gdp) calculates the one-period annualized percent change in GDP (in percent)
(1+@pch(x))n-1 (where n=4 for quarterly data, n=12 for monthly, ect)

@pcha(gdp) calculates the one-period annualized percent change in GDP (in decimal)

@pcy(gdp) calculates the one-year percent change (in percent)

@pchy(gdp) calculates the one-year percent change (in decimal)

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Percentages:
Example 1
• Calculate the percent change in gdp from the previous period.

Percentages : Example 1
1. Type in the command window:
show @pc(gdp)

Note that @pc shows the percent change

in percent. If you would like to compute it
in decimals, type in the command window:
show @pch(gdp)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that we instructed EViews to

display both series (@pc(gdp) and
@pch(gdp)) in the same group. The
group is saved as group06.

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Percentages:
Example 2
• Calculate the annualized one-period percent change in gdp.

Percentages : Example 2
1. Type in the command window:
show @pca(gdp)
2. Press Enter.

• Note this computes the annualized

percent change in the quarterly (one-
period) gdp data.
• This is the same as:
100*((1+@pch(gdp))4-1).

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Percentages:
Example 3
• Calculate the year-over-year percent change in gdp.

Percentages : Example 3
1. Type in the command window:
show @pcy(gdp)
2. Press Enter.

• Note this computes the one-year

percent change in gdp data.
• In quarterly data (which is the case
here), this is the same as:
100*(gdpt+4-gdpt/gdpt).

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Cumulative Statistic Functions
• Cumulative functions perform “running-total”-type calculations.
• For these functions the length of the window changes with each observation.

Common Functions
Function Description
@cumsum(x,s) Cumulative Sum of the values in X over sample s
@cumprod(x,s) Cumulative Product of the values in X over sample s

@cummean(x,s) Mean of the values in X over sample s up to and including current observation

@cumobs(x,s) The number of non-missing observations in X from over sample s

@cumbsum(x,s) Backwards cumulative sum of the values of X over sample s beginning with
the end of the sample
@cumbmean(x,s) Backwards cumulative mean of the values of X over sample s beginning with
the end of the sample up to and including current observation
@cumbstdev Backwards cumulative standard deviation of the values of X over sample s
beginning with the end of the sample up to and including current observation

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Cumulative Statistic Functions:
Example 1
• Show the cumulative sum for series y over a pre-defined sample.

Cumulative Statistic: Example 1

1. Type in the command window:
show @cumsum(y,"1980Q3 1981Q4")
2. Press Enter. Original series @cumsum(y,s)

• Note that to facilitate comparisons, we

have shown both the original (y) series
and the new cumulative sum defined
over the specific sample.
• The cumulative sum series is calculated
by adding the values from the start of the
sample to the current value.
• The cumulative sum starts at the
beginning of the sample (1980Q3) and
ends at the end of the sample (1981Q4).

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Cumulative Statistic Functions:
Example 2
• Show the cumulative backward sum for series y over a pre-defined sample.

Cumulative Statistic: Example 2

1. Type in the command window:
show @cumbsum(y,"1980Q3 1981Q4")
2. Press Enter. Original series @cumbsum(y,s)

• The backward cumulative sum series is

calculated by adding the values from the
end of the sample to the current value.
• Note that, unlike the previous example,
the backward cumulative sum starts at the
end of the sample (1984Q1) and ends at
the start of the sample (1980Q3).

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Cumulative Statistic Functions:
Example 3
• Show the cumulative mean of series y over a pre-defined sample.

Cumulative Statistic: Example 3

1. Type in the command window:
show @cummean(y,"1980Q3 1981Q4")
2. Press Enter. Original series @cummean(y,s)

• The cumulative mean series is calculated

from the start of the sample (1980Q3)
until the current observation.

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Cumulative Statistic Functions:
Example 4
• Show the cumulative standard deviation of series y over a pre-defined sample.

Cumulative Statistic: Example 4

1. Type in the command window:
show @cumstdev(y,"1980Q3 1981Q4")
2. Press Enter. Original series @cumstdev(y,s)

• The cumulative standard deviation is

calculated from the start of the sample
(1980Q3) until the current observation.

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Moving Statistic Functions
• These types of functions have shorter, fixed, user-specified window lengths.
• They provide information on n observations (including the current observation).
• The window length n is chosen by the user.
• If the original data has missing values (NA), results may or may not
propagate NA.
Generic Function Description
@mov[specified statistic] This command generates missing values

@m[specified statistic] This command skips NA observations and does not generate
NA values

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Moving Statistic Functions (cont’d)

Common Functions
Function Description
@movav(x,n) n-period backwards moving average (if n=3, X+X(-1)+X(-2)/3).
NAs are generated
@movav(x(-1),n) n-period backwards moving average (if n=3, X+X(-1)+X(-2)/3) lagged
by one period. NAs are generated
@movsum(x,n) n-period backwards moving sum (if n=3, X+X(-1)+X(-2)).
NAs are generated
@movvar(x,n) n-period backwards moving variances: population variance for the
current and previous n-1 observations. NAs are generated
@mav(x,n) n-period backwards moving average (if n=3, X+X(-1)+X(-2)/3).
NAs are NOT generated
@msum(x,n) n-period backwards moving sum (if n=3, X+X(-1)+X(-2)).
NAs are NOT generated
@mvars(x,n) n-period backwards moving sample variance: sample variance for
the current and previous n-1 observations. NAs are NOT generated

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Moving Statistic Functions:
Example 1
• Show a 4-period moving average for series y.

Moving Statistic: Example 1

1. Type in the command window:
show @movav(y,4)
2. Press Enter. Original series @movav(y,n)

• Note that the 4-period backwards

moving average is computed as:
(X+X(-1)+X(-2)+X(-3))/4.

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Moving Statistic Functions:
Example 2
• You can combine operators (functions) to perform more complex examples.
• Suppose you would like to show the 4-period moving average for series y
lagged by one period.

Moving Statistic: Example 2

1. Type in the command window:
Original series @movav(y(-1),n)
show @movav(y(-1),4)
2. Press Enter.

• The 4-period backwards moving

average is computed as:
(X+X(-1)+X(-2)+X(-3))/4. This is
then lagged by one period as we
specified.

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Moving Statistic Functions:
Example 3
• Show a 5-period backward moving sum for series y.

Moving Statistic: Example 3

1. Type in the command window:
show @movsum(y,5)
Original series @movsum(y,5)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that the 5-period backward

moving sum is generated by
adding:
(X+X(-1)+X(-2)+X(-3)+X(-4)).

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Moving Statistic Functions:
Example 4
• Show a centered 5-period backward moving sum for series y.

Moving Statistic: Example 4

1. Type in the command window:
show @movsum(y(2),5)
Original series @movsum(y(2),5)
2. Press Enter.

• Note that the 5-period backward

moving sum is now centered at
the observation which falls in the
middle of the interval.
• It is computed by adding:
(X(-1)+X(-2)+X+X(+1)+X(+2)).

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Trends
• It is very easy to generate trends in EViews by using a number of built-in
functions.
Common Functions
Function Description
@trend Time trend increasing with each observation
@trendc Calendar-based time trend (in irregular workfiles @trend and @trendc
return different results)
@trend^2 Quadratic time trend increasing with each observation

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Trends: Examples
• Create two trend series one with initial value 0 and the other one 1.

Generating Trends:
1. Type in the command window:
series trend1=@trend
series trend2=@trend+1
Trend1 Trend2
2. Press Enter after each command.

• Note that @trend creates a series that

begins at 0; while @trend+1 has initial
value of 1.

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