Forecasting Euro-Area Industrial Production Using (Mostly) Business Surveys Data

Bruno, Giancarlo and Lupi, Claudio (2003): Forecasting Euro-Area Industrial Production Using (Mostly) Business Surveys Data.

Abstract

In this paper we propose a relatively simple procedure to predict Euro-zone industrial production using mostly data derived from the business surveys of the three major economies within the European Monetary Union (France, Germany, and Italy). The basic idea is that of estimating business cyclical indicators to be used as predictors for the industrial production in France and Germany; as far as Italy is concerned, forecasts are produced using a model that in the recent past proved to be able to produce accurate forecasts up to six months ahead. In order to derive quantitative predictors from the business surveys data and to aggregate the nation-wide forecast into the Euro-zone forecast, we propose using an approach based on dynamic factors and unobserved components models. The resulting forecasts are accurate up to six steps ahead.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Forecasting; VAR models; Industrial production; Cyclical Analysis
• Subjects: C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C3 - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models ; Multiple Variables > C32 - Time-Series Models ; Dynamic Quantile Regressions ; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models ; Diffusion Processes ; State Space Models; E - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics > E3 - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles > E32 - Business Fluctuations ; Cycles; C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C5 - Econometric Modeling > C53 - Forecasting and Prediction Methods ; Simulation Methods

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