We analyse the panel of the Greenbook forecasts (sample 1970-1996) and a large panel of monthly variables for the US (sample 1970-2003) and show that the bulk of dynamics of both the variables and their forecasts is explained by two shocks. Moreover, a two factor model which exploits, in real time, information on many time series to extract a two dimensional signal, produces a degree of forecasting accuracy of the federal funds rate similar to that of the markets, and, for output and inflation, similar to that of the Greenbook forecasts. This leads us to conclude that the stochastic dimension of the US economy is two. We also show that dimension two is generated by a real and nominal shock, with output mainly driven by the real shock and inflation by the nominal shock. The implication is that, by tracking any forecastable measure of real activity and price dynamics, the Central Bank can track all fundamental dynamics in the economy.
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Paper provided by IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University in its series Working Papers with number
284.
Length: Date of creation: 2005 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:igi:igierp:284
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Domenico Giannone & Lucrezia Reichlin & Luca Sala, 2005.
"Monetary Policy in Real Time,"
NBER Chapters,
in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2004, Volume 19, pages 161-224
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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References listed on IDEAS 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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NBER Working Papers
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Christina D. Romer & David H. Romer, 1994.
"What Ends Recessions?,"
NBER Chapters,
in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1994, Volume 9, pages 13-80
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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