Research article

Uncertainty calibrated volatility forecasting through regime detection and adaptive ensemble modeling

  • Published: 02 September 2026
  • JEL Codes: C53; C58; C45; C22; G17; G11

  • Accurate volatility forecasting, which is critical for financial risk management, has been challenged by classic econometric models and recent machine learning algorithms that lack reliable uncertainty quantification. The regime-adaptive deep ensemble with uncertainty quantification solution combines bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) for regime identification and bootstrap uncertainty quantification with models such as the heterogeneous autoregressive model for realized volatility (HAR-RV), random forest, and light gradient-boosting machine (LightGBM). It also includes triple-adaptive ensemble weighting. A 10-year investigation of S&P 500 data showed a 55.6% improvement in RMSE compared to the heterogeneous autoregressive model for realized volatility (HAR-RV) baseline and an $ R^2 $ increase from 0.602 to 0.922. The approach demonstrated confirmed 95% prediction intervals, outstanding adaptability, and performance across several regimes. Cross-asset validation across five asset classes (S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Russell 2000, EUR/USD, and Gold) confirms consistent root mean square error (RMSE) improvements of 47–55% over HAR-RV and $ R^2 $ above 0.89 across all assets, demonstrating robust generalizability. Economic evaluations show a 94.6% reduction in portfolio volatility and an enhanced Sharpe ratio. This framework outperforms previous methods by providing high accuracy, well-calibrated uncertainty estimates, and a thorough economic analysis.

    Citation: Khalid Jeaab, Smaaine Ouaharahe, Youness Saoudi. Uncertainty calibrated volatility forecasting through regime detection and adaptive ensemble modeling[J]. Data Science in Finance and Economics, 2026, 6(3): 475-507. doi: 10.3934/DSFE.2026017

    Related Papers:

  • Accurate volatility forecasting, which is critical for financial risk management, has been challenged by classic econometric models and recent machine learning algorithms that lack reliable uncertainty quantification. The regime-adaptive deep ensemble with uncertainty quantification solution combines bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) for regime identification and bootstrap uncertainty quantification with models such as the heterogeneous autoregressive model for realized volatility (HAR-RV), random forest, and light gradient-boosting machine (LightGBM). It also includes triple-adaptive ensemble weighting. A 10-year investigation of S&P 500 data showed a 55.6% improvement in RMSE compared to the heterogeneous autoregressive model for realized volatility (HAR-RV) baseline and an $ R^2 $ increase from 0.602 to 0.922. The approach demonstrated confirmed 95% prediction intervals, outstanding adaptability, and performance across several regimes. Cross-asset validation across five asset classes (S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Russell 2000, EUR/USD, and Gold) confirms consistent root mean square error (RMSE) improvements of 47–55% over HAR-RV and $ R^2 $ above 0.89 across all assets, demonstrating robust generalizability. Economic evaluations show a 94.6% reduction in portfolio volatility and an enhanced Sharpe ratio. This framework outperforms previous methods by providing high accuracy, well-calibrated uncertainty estimates, and a thorough economic analysis.



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