Stock e-exchange prices forecasting is an important financial problem that is receiving increasing attention. This study proposes a novel three-stage nonlinear ensemble model. In the proposed model, three different types of neural-network based models, i.e. Elman network, generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and wavelet neural network (WNN) are constructed by three non-overlapping training sets and are further optimized by improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO). Finally, a neural-network-based nonlinear meta-model is generated by learning three neural-network based models through support vector machines (SVM) neural network. The superiority of the proposed approach lies in its flexibility to account for potentially complex nonlinear relationships. Three daily stock indices time series are used for validating the forecasting model. Empirical results suggest the ensemble ANNs-PSO-GA approach can significantly improve the prediction performance over other individual models and linear combination models listed in this study.

For time series forecasting, the problem that we often encounter is how to increase the prediction accuracy as much as possible with the irregular and noise data. This study proposes a novel multilayer feedforward neural network based on the improved particle swarm optimization with adaptive genetic operator (IPSO- MLFN). In the proposed IPSO, inertia weight is dynamically adjusted according to the feedback from particles’ best memories, and acceleration coefficients are controlled by a declining arccosine and an increasing arccosine function. Further, a crossover rate which only depends on generation and does not associate with the individual fitness is designed. Finally, the parameters of MLFN are optimized by IPSO. The empirical results on the container throughput forecast of Shenzhen Port show that forecasts with IPSO-MLFN model are more conservative and credible.