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Nowcasting Colombian Economic Activity: DFM and Factor-MIDAS approaches

Author

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  • Franky Juliano Galeano-Ramírez
  • Nicolás Martínez-Cortés
  • Carlos D. Rojas-Martínez

Abstract

Economic policy decision-making requires constantly assessing the state of economic activity. However, this is not an easy task: official figures have significant lags, and the timely information is usually partial and has diffierent frequencies. This paper applies two types of short-term forecasting methodologies (Factor-MIDAS and DFM) for Colombian economic activity involving information with mixed frequencies. We present a heuristic process to select relevant variables, and we evaluate the proposed models' fits by comparing them with traditional forecasting methodologies. Overall, DFM and Factor-MIDAS forecasts are better than those generated by conventional methodologies, especially as the flow of information increases. In times of COVID-19, the model with the best relative fit was the DFM. **** RESUMEN: La toma de decisiones de política económica requiere evaluar constantemente el estado de la actividad económica. Sin embargo, ello no es una tarea fácil: las cifras oficiales tienen rezagos importantes y la información más oportuna suele ser parcial y tener frecuencias dispares. Este artículo aplica dos tipos de metodologías de pronóstico de corto plazo (Factor-MIDAS y DFM) para la actividad económica colombiana involucrando información con frecuencias mixtas. Se propone un proceso heurístico para la selección de variables relevantes y se evalúa el ajuste de los modelos comparándolo respecto a metodologías usuales de proyección. En general, los pronósticos de los modelos Factor-MIDAS y del DFM superan los generados por metodologías tradicionales, con resultados más precisos en la medida que aumenta el flujo de información. En tiempos del COVID-19, el modelo con el mejor ajuste relativo fue el DFM.

Suggested Citation

  • Franky Juliano Galeano-Ramírez & Nicolás Martínez-Cortés & Carlos D. Rojas-Martínez, 2021. "Nowcasting Colombian Economic Activity: DFM and Factor-MIDAS approaches," Borradores de Economia 1168, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdr:borrec:1168
    DOI: 10.32468/be.1168
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Colombian economic activity; nowcast; forecast; mixed frequency factor models; actividad económica colombiana; nowcast; pronóstico; modelos de frecuencia mixta con factores;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • E27 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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