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VARs, Common Factors and the Empirical Validation of Equilibrium Business Cycle Models

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Author Info
Domenica Giannone
Lucrezia Reichlin
Luca Sala

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Abstract

Equilibrium business cycle models have typically less shocks than variables. As pointed out by Altug, 1989 and Sargent, 1989, if variables are measured with error, this characteristic implies that the model solution for measured variables has a factor structure. This paper compares estimation performance for the impulse response coefficients based on a VAR approximation to this class of models and an estimation method that explicitly takes into account the restrictions implied by the factor structure. Bias and mean squared error for both factor based and VAR based estimates of impulse response functions are quanti?ed using, as data generating process, a calibrated standard equilibrium business cycle model. We show that, at short horizons, VAR estimates of impulse response functions are less accurate than factor estimates while the two methods perform similarly at medium and long run horizons.

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Paper provided by IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University in its series Working Papers with number 258.

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Date of creation: 2004
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Handle: RePEc:igi:igierp:258

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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  4. Forni, Mario & Reichlin, Lucrezia, 1998. "Let's Get Real: A Factor Analytical Approach to Disaggregated Business Cycle Dynamics," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 65(3), pages 453-73, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  20. Giannone, Domenico & Reichlin, Lucrezia & Sala, Luca, 2002. "Tracking Greenspan: Systematic and Unsystematic Monetary Policy Revisited," CEPR Discussion Papers 3550, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Lucia Alessi & Matteo Barigozzi & Marco Capasso, 2008. "A review of nonfundamentalness and identification in structural VAR models," Working Paper Series 922, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  2. rea cipollini & giuseppe missaglia, 2005. "Business cycle effects on Portfolio Credit Risk: scenario generation through Dynamic Factor analysis," Finance 0502010, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  3. Dupaigne, Martial & Fève, Patrick & Matheron, Julien, 2005. "Technology Shocks and Employment: Do We Really Need DSGE Models with a Fall in Hours?," IDEI Working Papers 349, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Giancarlo Corsetti & Luca Dedola & Sylvain Leduc, 2007. "Productivity and the dollar," Working Paper Series 2007-27, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. [Downloadable!]
  5. Mario Forni & Domenico Giannone & Marco Lippi & Lucrezia Reichlin, 2007. "Opening the black box - structural factor models with large gross-sections," Working Paper Series 712, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Renee Fry & Adrian Pagan, 2005. "Some Issues In Using Vars For Macroeconometric Research," CAMA Working Papers 2005-19, Australian National University, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis. [Downloadable!]
  7. Giancarlo Corsetti & Luca Dedola & Sylvain Leduc, 2006. "Productivity, external balance and exchange rates: evidence on the transmission mechanism among G7 countries," Economics Working Papers ECO2006/39, European University Institute. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Marc Hallin & Roman Liska, 2008. "Dynamic Factors in the Presence of Block Structure," ECARES Working Papers 2008_012, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Ecares. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Forni, Mario & Gambetti, Luca, 2008. "The Dynamic Effects of Monetary Policy: A Structural Factor Model Approach," CEPR Discussion Papers 7098, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Fabio Canova & Filippo Ferroni, 2009. "Multiple filtering devices for the estimation of cyclical DSGE models," Economics Working Papers 1135, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. [Downloadable!]
  11. Gregor Bäurle, 2008. "Priors from DSGE Models for Dynamic Factor Analysis," Diskussionsschriften dp0803, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft. [Downloadable!]
  12. Forni, Mario & Lippi, Marco & Reichlin, Lucrezia, 2003. "Opening the Black Box: Structural Factor Models versus Structural VARs," CEPR Discussion Papers 4133, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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