High-Dimensional Precision Matrix Quadratic Forms: Estimation Framework for $p > n$
Abstract
We propose a novel estimation framework for quadratic functionals of precision matrices in high-dimensional settings, particularly in regimes where the feature dimension exceeds the sample size . Traditional moment-based estimators with bias correction remain consistent when (i.e., ). However, they break down entirely once , highlighting a fundamental distinction between the two regimes due to rank deficiency and high-dimensional complexity. Our approach resolves these issues by combining a spectral-moment representation with constrained optimization, resulting in consistent estimation under mild moment conditions. The proposed framework provides a unified approach for inference on a broad class of high-dimensional statistical measures. We illustrate its utility through two representative examples: the optimal Sharpe ratio in portfolio optimization and the multiple correlation coefficient in regression analysis. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed estimator effectively overcomes the fundamental barrier where conventional methods fail.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.03815,
title = {High-Dimensional Precision Matrix Quadratic Forms: Estimation Framework for $p > n$},
author = {Shizhe Hong and Weiming Li and Guangming Pan},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.03815},
year = {2026}
}