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Local Information and Firm Expectations about Aggregates

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  • Jonas Dovern
  • Lena Sophia Müller
  • Klaus Wohlrabe

Abstract

Using new survey data on quantitative growth expectations of firms in Germany, we show that firms resort to local information when forming expectations about aggregate growth. Firms extrapolate from the economic situation in their county, industry growth and their individual business situation. The effect is particularly strong for small firms and explains part of the high expectation dispersion across firms. Furthermore, we show that growth expectations are correlated with employment and investment decisions of firms, highlighting that differences in expectations do indeed seem to lead to differences in actual firm decisions. Our results confirm predictions of theoretical models with rational inattention.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonas Dovern & Lena Sophia Müller & Klaus Wohlrabe, 2022. "Local Information and Firm Expectations about Aggregates," CESifo Working Paper Series 9826, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_9826
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Lehmann, 2023. "The Forecasting Power of the ifo Business Survey," Journal of Business Cycle Research, Springer;Centre for International Research on Economic Tendency Surveys (CIRET), vol. 19(1), pages 43-94, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    GDP expectations; expectation heterogeneity; disagreement; rational inattention; ifo business tendency survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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