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Direct vs Indirect Forecasts of Foreign Trade Unit Value Indices

Author

Listed:
  • Giancarlo Lutero
  • Marco Marini

    (Italian National Institute of Statistics)

Abstract

This paper examines the forecasting approach of foreign trade unit value indices followed in the compilation of quarterly national accounts of Italy. Total imports and exports indices are indirectly obtained from the aggregation of ARIMA forecasts of disaggregated components, derived from the program TRAMO with automatic identification options. An out-of-sample forecasting exercise is performed to validate the automatic choices made by TRAMO and to evaluate the relative performance of a direct forecasting approach of imports and exports aggregates. Also, we show how the use of international raw commodity prices can improve the forecasting accuracy of aggregate unit value indices.

Suggested Citation

  • Giancarlo Lutero & Marco Marini, 2010. "Direct vs Indirect Forecasts of Foreign Trade Unit Value Indices," Rivista di statistica ufficiale, ISTAT - Italian National Institute of Statistics - (Rome, ITALY), vol. 12(2-3), pages 73-96, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:isa:journl:v:12:y:2010:i:2-3:p:73-96
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Rafiq & Liu Hai Yun & Gulzar Ali, 2016. "Forecasting the Trend Analysis of Trade Balance of Pakistan: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 6(7), pages 188-214, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Forecast aggregation; Foreign trade statistics; Flash estimates; Quarterly National Accounts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • F17 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Forecasting and Simulation

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