In the present article, we derive an explicit expression for the truncated mean and variance for the multivariate normal distribution with arbitrary rectangular double truncation. We use the moment generating approach of Tallis (1961) and extend it to general μ, Σ and all combinations of truncation. As part of the solution, we also give a formula for the bivariate marginal density of truncated multinormal variates. We also prove an invariance property of some elements of the inverse covariance after truncation. Computer algorithms for computing the truncated mean, variance and the bivariate marginal probabilities for doubly truncated multivariate normal variates have been written in R and are presented along with three examples.

In this article, we deal with an empirical comparison of two data-driven heuristic procedures of estimation of a positive extreme value index (EVI), working thus with heavy right tails. The semi-parametric EVI-estimators under consideration, the so-called peaks over random threshold (PORT)–minimum-variance reduced-bias (MVRB) EVI-estimators, are location and scale-invariant estimators, based on the PORT methodology applied to second-order MVRB EVI-estimators. Trivial adaptations of these algorithms make them work for a similar estimation of other parameters of extreme events, such as the Value-at-Risk at a level p, the expected shortfall and the probability of exceedance of a high level x, among others. Applications to simulated data sets and to real data sets in the field of finance are provided.

It will be recalled that the classical bivariate normal distributions have normal marginals and normal conditionals. It is natural to ask whether a similar phenomenon can be encountered involving Poisson marginals and conditionals. However, it is known, from research on conditionally specified models, that Poisson marginals will be encountered, together with both conditionals being of the Poisson form, only in the case in which the variables are independent. In order to have a flexible dependent bivariate model with some Poisson components, in the present article, we will be focusing on bivariate distributions with one marginal and the other family of conditionals being of the Poisson form. Such distributions are called Pseudo-Poisson distributions. We discuss distributional features of such models, explore inferential aspects and include an example of applications of the Pseudo-Poisson model to sets of over-dispersed data.