On the distribution of the product of two continuous random variables with an application to electricity market transactions. Finite and infinite-variance case

Abstract

In this paper we study the distribution of a product of two continuous random variables. We derive formulas for the probability density functions and moments of the products of the Gaussian, log-normal, Student's t and Pareto random variables. In all cases we analyze separately independent as well as correlated random variables. Based on the theoretical results we use the general maximum likelihood approach for the estimation of the parameters of the product random variables and apply the methodology for a real data case study. We analyze a distribution of the transaction values, being a product of prices and volumes, from a continuous trade on the German intraday electricity market.