Interpolation and Prewar-Postwar Output Volatility and Shock-Persistence Debate: A Closer Look and New Results

Dezhbakhsh, Hashem and Levy, Daniel (2026): Interpolation and Prewar-Postwar Output Volatility and Shock-Persistence Debate: A Closer Look and New Results.

Abstract

It is well established that the U.S. prewar output was more volatile and less shock persistent than the postwar output. This is often attributed to the data interpolation employed to construct the prewar series. Our analytical results, however, indicate that commonly used linear interpolation has the opposite effect on shock persistence and volatility of a series—it increases shock persistence and reduces volatility. The surprising implication of this finding is that the actual differences between the volatility and shock persistence of the prewar and postwar output series are likely greater than the existing literature recognizes, and interpolation has dampened rather than magnified this difference. Consequently, the view that postwar output was more stable than prewar output because of the effectiveness of the postwar stabilization policies and institutional changes has considerable merit. Our results hold for parsimonious stationary and nonstationary time series commonly used to model macroeconomic time series.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Business Cycles; Output Volatility; Shock Persistence; Prewar and Postwar US Time Series; Linear Interpolation; Variance Ratio; Stationary Series; Nonstationary Series; Periodic Non-stationarity; Missing Observations; Macroeconomic Stabilization; Economic Policy
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C0 - General > C02 - Mathematical Methods; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C1 - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General > C18 - Methodological Issues: General; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C2 - Single Equation Models ; Single Variables > C22 - Time-Series Models ; Dynamic Quantile Regressions ; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models ; Diffusion Processes; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C8 - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology ; Computer Programs > C82 - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Macroeconomic Data ; Data Access; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E0 - General > E01 - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth ; Environmental Accounts; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E3 - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles > E32 - Business Fluctuations ; Cycles; N - Economic History > N1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics ; Industrial Structure ; Growth ; Fluctuations > N10 - General, International, or Comparative

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