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Peering into the present: the Bank’s approach to GDP nowcasting

Author

Listed:
  • Anesti, Nikoleta

    (Bank of England)

  • Hayes, Simon

    (Bank of England)

  • Moreira, Andre

    (Bank of England)

  • Tasker, James

    (Bank of England)

Abstract

The Bank’s GDP nowcast represents the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC’s) estimate of economic growth in the current quarter, before official data become available. The nowcast is informed by statistical models, but is ultimately judgemental, reflecting all available information. Users of nowcasts must be aware of the degree of accuracy that can be expected, as this varies across models and time. Models based on survey information tend to be more accurate early in the quarter, whereas high‑frequency output data published by the ONS become more useful later. The MPC’s Inflation Report nowcasts have been relatively accurate, with a root mean squared error of 0.3 percentage points over the past ten years - lower than a mechanical use of the models could have attained. GDP growth estimates have fallen within 0.1 percentage points of the MPC’s expectation about half the time, although much larger surprises have occasionally occurred.

Suggested Citation

  • Anesti, Nikoleta & Hayes, Simon & Moreira, Andre & Tasker, James, 2017. "Peering into the present: the Bank’s approach to GDP nowcasting," Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, Bank of England, vol. 57(2), pages 122-133.
    • Handle: RePEc:boe:qbullt:0223
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    File URL: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/quarterly-bulletin/2017/peering-into-the-present-the-banks-approach-to-gdp-nowcasting.pdf?la=en&hash=1B0E7D64C568D5D2925C459703E74F8E848B5743
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anesti, Nikoleta & Kalamara, Eleni & Kapetanios, George, 2021. "Forecasting UK GDP growth with large survey panels," Bank of England working papers 923, Bank of England.
    2. Kohns, David & Potjagailo, Galina, 2023. "Flexible Bayesian MIDAS: time‑variation, group‑shrinkage and sparsity," Bank of England working papers 1025, Bank of England.
    3. Nikoleta Anesti & Ana Beatriz Galvao & Silvia Miranda-Agrippino, 2018. "Uncertain Kingdom: Nowcasting GDP and its Revisions," Discussion Papers 1824, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    4. Pinkwart, Nicolas, 2018. "Short-term forecasting economic activity in Germany: A supply and demand side system of bridge equations," Discussion Papers 36/2018, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    5. Chalmovianský, Jakub & Porqueddu, Mario & Sokol, Andrej, 2020. "Weigh(t)ing the basket: aggregate and component-based inflation forecasts for the euro area," Working Paper Series 2501, European Central Bank.
    6. Takashi Nakazawa, 2022. "Constructing GDP Nowcasting Models Using Alternative Data," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 22-E-9, Bank of Japan.
    7. Özer Karagedikli & Murat Özbilgin, 2019. "Mixed in New Zealand: Nowcasting Labour Markets with MIDAS," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Analytical Notes series AN2019/04, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    8. Nikoleta Anesti & Ana Beatriz Galvão & Silvia Miranda‐Agrippino, 2022. "Uncertain Kingdom: Nowcasting Gross Domestic Product and its revisions," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(1), pages 42-62, January.
    9. Kyosuke Chikamatsu, Naohisa Hirakata, Yosuke Kido, Kazuki Otaka, 2018. "Nowcasting Japanese GDPs," Bank of Japan Working Paper Series 18-E-18, Bank of Japan.
    10. Galvão, Ana Beatriz & Lopresto, Marta, 2020. "Real-Time Probabilistic Nowcasts Of Uk Quarterly Gdp Growth Using A Mixed-Frequency Bottom-Up Approach," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 254, pages 1-11, November.
    11. Chikamatsu, Kyosuke & Hirakata, Naohisa & Kido, Yosuke & Otaka, Kazuki, 2021. "Mixed-frequency approaches to nowcasting GDP: An application to Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    12. Conefrey, Thomas & Walsh, Graeme, 2018. "A Monthly Indicator of Economic Activity for Ireland," Economic Letters 14/EL/18, Central Bank of Ireland.
    13. Ana Beatriz Galvão & Amit Kara, 2020. "The Impact of GDP Data Revisions on Identifying and Predicting UK Recessions," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Discussion Papers ESCoE DP-2020-12, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).

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