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Short-term forecasts of euro area real GDP growth - an assessment of real-time performance based on vintage data

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Author Info
Marie Diron () (Brevan Howard Asset Management LLP, London, SW1Y 6XA, United Kingdom.)

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Abstract

Economic policy makers, international organisations and private-sector forecasters commonly use short-term forecasts of real GDP growth based on monthly indicators, such as industrial production, retail sales and confidence surveys. An assessment of the reliability of such tools and of the source of potential forecast errors is essential. While many studies have evaluated the size of forecast errors related to model specifications and unavailability of data in real time, few have provided a complete assessment of forecast errors, which should notably take into account the impact of data revision. This paper proposes to bridge this gap. Using four years of data vintages for euro area conjunctural indicators, the paper decomposes forecast errors into four elements (model specification, erroneous extrapolations of the monthly indicators, revisions to the monthly indicators and revisions to the GDP data series) and assesses their relative sizes. The results show that gains in accuracy of forecasts achieved by using monthly data on actual activity rather than surveys or financial indicators are offset by the fact that the former set of monthly data is harder to forecast and less timely than the latter set. While the results presented in the paper remain tentative due to limited data availability, they provide a benchmark which future research may build on. JEL Classification: C22; C53; E17; E37; E66.

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Paper provided by European Central Bank in its series Working Paper Series with number 622.

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Length: 38 pages
Date of creation: May 2006
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Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20060622

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Related research
Keywords: Forecasting; conjunctural analysis; bridge equations; real-time forecasting; vintage data.;

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  1. Konstantins Benkovskis, 2008. "Short-Term Forecasts of Latvia's Real Gross Domestic Product Growth Using Monthly Indicators," Working Papers 2008/05, Latvijas Banka. [Downloadable!]
  2. Katja Drechsel & Laurent Maurin, 2008. "Flow on conjunctural information and forecast of euro area economic activity," Working Paper Series 925, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
  3. D'Agostino, Antonello & McQuinn, Kieran & O'Brien, Derry, 2008. "Now-casting Irish GDP," Research Technical Papers 9/RT/08, Central Bank & Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI). [Downloadable!]
  4. Olivier Darne, 2008. "Using business survey in industrial and services sector to nowcast GDP growth:The French case," Economics Bulletin, Economics Bulletin, vol. 3(32), pages 1-8. [Downloadable!]
  5. Barhoumi, K. & Brunhes-Lesage, V. & Darné, O. & Ferrara, L. & Pluyaud, B. & Rouvreau, B., 2008. "Monthly forecasting of French GDP: A revised version of the OPTIM model," Documents de Travail 222, Banque de France. [Downloadable!]
  6. Marta Banbura & Gerhard Rünstler, 2007. "A look into the factor model black box - publication lags and the role of hard and soft data in forecasting GDP," Working Paper Series 751, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
  7. Maximo Camacho & Gabriel Perez-Quiros, 2008. "Introducing the EURO-STING: Short Term INdicator of Euro Area Growth," Banco de España Working Papers 0807, Banco de España. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Angelini, Elena & Camba-Mendez, Gonzalo & Giannone, Domenico & Reichlin, Lucrezia & Rünstler, Gerhard, 2008. "Short-term Forecasts of Euro Area GDP Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 6746, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Domenico Giannone & Lucrezia Reichlin & Saverio Simonelli, 2009. "Nowcasting Euro Area Economic Activity in Real-Time: The Role of Confidence Indicator," ECARES Working Papers 2009_021, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ecares. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. Martin Schneider & Christian Ragacs, 2009. "Why did we fail to predict GDP during the last cycle? A breakdown of forecast errors for Austria," Working Papers 151, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank). [Downloadable!]
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