Time Series Forecasting

Forecasting is required in many situations. Stocking an inventory may require forecasts of demand months in advance. Telecommunication routing requires traffic forecasts a few minutes ahead. Whatever the circumstances or time horizons involved, forecasting is an important aid in effective and efficient planning. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to forecasting methods and presents enough information about each method for readers to use them sensibly.

Forecasting is required in many situations. Deciding whether to build another power generation plant in the next five years requires forecasts of future demand. Scheduling staff in a call centre next week requires forecasts of call volumes. Stocking an inventory requires forecasts of stock requirements. Telecommunication routing requires traffic forecasts a few minutes ahead. Whatever the circumstances or time horizons involved, forecasting is an important aid in effective and efficient planning. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to forecasting methods and presents enough information about each method for readers to use them sensibly. Examples use R with many data sets taken from the authors' own consulting experience. In this third edition, all chapters have been updated to cover the latest research and forecasting methods. One new chapter has been added on time series features. The latest version of the book is freely available online at http: //OTexts.com/fpp3.

"A comprehensive introduction to the latest forecasting methods using R. Learn to improve your forecast accuracy using dozens of real data examples." --cover.

Build predictive models from time-based patterns in your data. Master statistical models including new deep learning approaches for time series forecasting. In Time Series Forecasting in Python you will learn how to: Recognize a time series forecasting problem and build a performant predictive model Create univariate forecasting models that account for seasonal effects and external variables Build multivariate forecasting models to predict many time series at once Leverage large datasets by using deep learning for forecasting time series Automate the forecasting process Time Series Forecasting in Python teaches you to build powerful predictive models from time-based data. Every model you create is relevant, useful, and easy to implement with Python. You’ll explore interesting real-world datasets like Google’s daily stock price and economic data for the USA, quickly progressing from the basics to developing large-scale models that use deep learning tools like TensorFlow. About the technology You can predict the future—with a little help from Python, deep learning, and time series data! Time series forecasting is a technique for modeling time-centric data to identify upcoming events. New Python libraries and powerful deep learning tools make accurate time series forecasts easier than ever before. About the book Time Series Forecasting in Python teaches you how to get immediate, meaningful predictions from time-based data such as logs, customer analytics, and other event streams. In this accessible book, you’ll learn statistical and deep learning methods for time series forecasting, fully demonstrated with annotated Python code. Develop your skills with projects like predicting the future volume of drug prescriptions, and you’ll soon be ready to build your own accurate, insightful forecasts. What's inside Create models for seasonal effects and external variables Multivariate forecasting models to predict multiple time series Deep learning for large datasets Automate the forecasting process About the reader For data scientists familiar with Python and TensorFlow. About the author Marco Peixeiro is a seasoned data science instructor who has worked as a data scientist for one of Canada’s largest banks. Table of Contents PART 1 TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE 1 Understanding time series forecasting 2 A naive prediction of the future 3 Going on a random walk PART 2 FORECASTING WITH STATISTICAL MODELS 4 Modeling a moving average process 5 Modeling an autoregressive process 6 Modeling complex time series 7 Forecasting non-stationary time series 8 Accounting for seasonality 9 Adding external variables to our model 10 Forecasting multiple time series 11 Capstone: Forecasting the number of antidiabetic drug prescriptions in Australia PART 3 LARGE-SCALE FORECASTING WITH DEEP LEARNING 12 Introducing deep learning for time series forecasting 13 Data windowing and creating baselines for deep learning 14 Baby steps with deep learning 15 Remembering the past with LSTM 16 Filtering a time series with CNN 17 Using predictions to make more predictions 18 Capstone: Forecasting the electric power consumption of a household PART 4 AUTOMATING FORECASTING AT SCALE 19 Automating time series forecasting with Prophet 20 Capstone: Forecasting the monthly average retail price of steak in Canada 21 Going above and beyond

From the author of the bestselling "Analysis of Time Series," Time-Series Forecasting offers a comprehensive, up-to-date review of forecasting methods. It provides a summary of time-series modelling procedures, followed by a brief catalogue of many different time-series forecasting methods, ranging from ad-hoc methods through ARIMA and state-space

Learn how to apply the principles of machine learning to time series modeling with this indispensable resource Machine Learning for Time Series Forecasting with Python is an incisive and straightforward examination of one of the most crucial elements of decision-making in finance, marketing, education, and healthcare: time series modeling. Despite the centrality of time series forecasting, few business analysts are familiar with the power or utility of applying machine learning to time series modeling. Author Francesca Lazzeri, a distinguished machine learning scientist and economist, corrects that deficiency by providing readers with comprehensive and approachable explanation and treatment of the application of machine learning to time series forecasting. Written for readers who have little to no experience in time series forecasting or machine learning, the book comprehensively covers all the topics necessary to: Understand time series forecasting concepts, such as stationarity, horizon, trend, and seasonality Prepare time series data for modeling Evaluate time series forecasting models’ performance and accuracy Understand when to use neural networks instead of traditional time series models in time series forecasting Machine Learning for Time Series Forecasting with Python is full real-world examples, resources and concrete strategies to help readers explore and transform data and develop usable, practical time series forecasts. Perfect for entry-level data scientists, business analysts, developers, and researchers, this book is an invaluable and indispensable guide to the fundamental and advanced concepts of machine learning applied to time series modeling.

The book is a summary of a time series forecasting competition that was held a number of years ago. It aims to provide a snapshot of the range of new techniques that are used to study time series, both as a reference for experts and as a guide for novices.

Some of the key mathematical results are stated without proof in order to make the underlying theory acccessible to a wider audience. The book assumes a knowledge only of basic calculus, matrix algebra, and elementary statistics. The emphasis is on methods and the analysis of data sets. The logic and tools of model-building for stationary and non-stationary time series are developed in detail and numerous exercises, many of which make use of the included computer package, provide the reader with ample opportunity to develop skills in this area. The core of the book covers stationary processes, ARMA and ARIMA processes, multivariate time series and state-space models, with an optional chapter on spectral analysis. Additional topics include harmonic regression, the Burg and Hannan-Rissanen algorithms, unit roots, regression with ARMA errors, structural models, the EM algorithm, generalized state-space models with applications to time series of count data, exponential smoothing, the Holt-Winters and ARAR forecasting algorithms, transfer function models and intervention analysis. Brief introducitons are also given to cointegration and to non-linear, continuous-time and long-memory models. The time series package included in the back of the book is a slightly modified version of the package ITSM, published separately as ITSM for Windows, by Springer-Verlag, 1994. It does not handle such large data sets as ITSM for Windows, but like the latter, runs on IBM-PC compatible computers under either DOS or Windows (version 3.1 or later). The programs are all menu-driven so that the reader can immediately apply the techniques in the book to time series data, with a minimal investment of time in the computational and algorithmic aspects of the analysis.