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Evaluating the usefulness of forecasts of relative growth

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  • Allan, Grant

Abstract

Forecasts of differences in growth between countries serve an important role in the justification of governments’ fiscal policy stances, but are not tested for their accuracy as part of the current range of forecast evaluation methods. This paper examines forecasted and outturn growth differentials between countries to identify if there is usefulness in forecasts of relative growth. Using OECD forecasts and outturn values for GDP growth for (combinations of) the G7 countries between 1984 and 2010, the paper finds that the OECD’s success in predicting the relative growth of G7 countries during this period is good. For each two-country combination results indicate that relative growth forecasts are less useful for countries which have smaller outturn growth differentials.

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  • Allan, Grant, 2013. "Evaluating the usefulness of forecasts of relative growth," SIRE Discussion Papers 2013-10, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    • Handle: RePEc:edn:sirdps:436
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10943/436
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jiří Šindelář, 2017. "GDP Forecasting by Czech Institutions: An Empirical Evaluation," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2017(2), pages 155-169.
    3. Jiří Šindelář, . "GDP Forecasting by Czech Institutions: An Empirical Evaluation," Prague Economic Papers, University of Economics, Prague, vol. 0, pages 1-15.
    4. Mihaela Simionescu, 2015. "The Accuracy Analysis of Inflation Rate Forecasts in Euro Area," Global Economic Observer, "Nicolae Titulescu" University of Bucharest, Faculty of Economic Sciences;Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy, vol. 3(1), pages 80-85, May.
    5. Mihaela Simionescu, 2014. "What Type Of Social Capital Is Engaged By The French Dairy Stockbreeders? A Characterization Through Their Professional Identities," Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Romanian Regional Science Association, vol. 8(1), pages 87-102, JUNE.
    6. Mihaela BRATU (SIMIONESCU), 2012. "A Strategy To Improve The Gdp Index Forcasts In Romania Using Moving Average Models Of Historical Errors Of The Dobrescu Macromodel," Romanian Journal of Economics, Institute of National Economy, vol. 35(2(44)), pages 128-138, December.
    7. Mihaela SIMIONESCU, 2014. "Improving The Inflation Rate Forecasts Of Romanian Experts Using A Fixed-Effects Models Approach," Review of Economic and Business Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 13, pages 87-102, June.
    8. Simionescu Mihaela, 2015. "Kalman Filter or VAR Models to Predict Unemployment Rate in Romania?," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 61(3), pages 3-21, June.
    9. Mihaela Bratu, 2012. "A Strategy to Improve the Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF) Predictions Using Bias-Corrected-Accelerated (BCA) Bootstrap Forecast Intervals," International Journal of Synergy and Research, ToKnowPress, vol. 1(2), pages 45-59.
    10. Bratu Mihaela, 2013. "An Evaluation Of Usa Unemployment Rate Forecasts In Terms Of Accuracy And Bias. Empirical Methods To Improve The Forecasts Accuracy," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1, pages 170-180, February.
    11. repec:ath:journl:tome:34:v:2:y:2014:i:34:p:197-209 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Mihaela Simionescu, 2015. "The Improvement of Unemployment Rate Predictions Accuracy," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2015(3), pages 274-286.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    macroeconomic forecast evaluation; relative forecast accuracy; OECD;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy

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