This book focuses on Least Squares Support Vector Machines (LS-SVMs) which are reformulations to standard SVMs. LS-SVMs are closely related to regularization networks and Gaussian processes but additionally emphasize and exploit primal-dual interpretations from optimization theory. The authors explain the natural links between LS-SVM classifiers and kernel Fisher discriminant analysis. Bayesian inference of LS-SVM models is discussed, together with methods for imposing spareness and employing robust statistics.

The framework is further extended towards unsupervised learning by considering PCA analysis and its kernel version as a one-class modelling problem. This leads to new primal-dual support vector machine formulations for kernel PCA and kernel CCA analysis. Furthermore, LS-SVM formulations are given for recurrent networks and control. In general, support vector machines may pose heavy computational challenges for large data sets. For this purpose, a method of fixed size LS-SVM is proposed where the estimation is done in the primal space in relation to a Nystrom sampling with active selection of support vectors. The methods are illustrated with several examples.

Credit Risk Management: Basic Concepts is the first book of a series of three with the objective of providing an overview of all aspects, steps, and issues that should be considered when undertaking credit risk management, including the Basel II Capital Accord, which all major banks must comply with in 2008.
The introduction of the recently suggested Basel II Capital Accord has raised many issues and concerns about how to appropriately manage credit risk. Managing credit risk is one of the next big challenges facing financial institutions. The importance and relevance of efficiently managing credit risk is evident from the huge investments that many financial institutions are making in this area, the booming credit industry in emerging economies (e.g. Brazil, China, India), the many events (courses, seminars, workshops) that are being organized on this topic, and the emergence of new academic journals and magazines in the field (e.g. Journal of Credit Risk, Journal of Risk Model Validation, Journal of Risk Management in Financial Institutions).
Basic Concepts provides the introduction to the concepts, techniques, and practical examples to guide both young and experienced practitioners and academics in the fascinating, but complex world of risk modelling. Financial risk management, an area of increasing importance with the recent Basel II developments, is discussed in terms of practical business impact and the increasing profitability competition, laying the foundation for books II and III.