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The Role of Economic Uncertainty in Forecasting Exchange Rate Returns and Realized Volatility: Evidence from Quantile Predictive Regressions

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Christou

    (School of Economics and Management, Open University of Cyprus, Latsia, Cyprus)

  • Rangan Gupta

    (University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa)

  • Christis Hassapis

    (School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus)

  • Tahir Suleman

    (School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington and School of Business, Wellington Institute of Technology)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate whether the news-based measure of economic policy uncertainty (EPU), can be used to forecast exchange rate returns and volatility using a quantile regression approach, which accounts for persistence and endogeneity, using data from thirteen different countries. Our main findings suggest that: (i) EPU is useful for forecasting exchange rate returns and volatility, (ii) forecasting ability-quantile order relationships exhibit U-shape, possibly asymmetric form around the median and (iii) asymmetries are more pronounced in the case of forecasting volatility.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Christou & Rangan Gupta & Christis Hassapis & Tahir Suleman, 2017. "The Role of Economic Uncertainty in Forecasting Exchange Rate Returns and Realized Volatility: Evidence from Quantile Predictive Regressions," Working Papers 201774, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pre:wpaper:201774
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    Cited by:

    1. Sheng, Xin & Gupta, Rangan & Salisu, Afees A. & Bouri, Elie, 2022. "OPEC News and Exchange Rate Forecasting Using Dynamic Bayesian Learning," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    2. Khyati Kathuria & Nand Kumar, 2022. "Pandemic‐induced fear and government policy response as a measure of uncertainty in the foreign exchange market: Evidence from (a)symmetric wild bootstrap likelihood ratio test," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 361-379, October.
    3. Yi‐Ting Peng & Tsangyao Chang & Omid Ranjbar, 2022. "Analyzing the degree of persistence of economic policy uncertainty using linear and non‐linear fourier quantile unit root tests," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 90(4), pages 453-471, July.
    4. Bonato, Matteo & Cepni, Oguzhan & Gupta, Rangan & Pierdzioch, Christian, 2023. "Climate risks and realized volatility of major commodity currency exchange rates," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    5. Han, Liyan & Wan, Li & Xu, Yang, 2020. "Can the Baltic Dry Index predict foreign exchange rates?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    6. Gkillas Konstantinos & Gupta Rangan & Vortelinos Dimitrios I., 2023. "Uncertainty and realized jumps in the pound-dollar exchange rate: evidence from over one century of data," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 27(1), pages 25-47, February.
    7. Tong, Chen & Huang, Zhuo & Wang, Tianyi & Zhang, Cong, 2023. "The effects of economic uncertainty on financial volatility: A comprehensive investigation," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 369-389.
    8. Maud Korley & Evangelos Giouvris, 2023. "Does Economic Policy Uncertainty Explain Exchange Rate Movements in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): A Panel ARDL Approach," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-22, November.
    9. Rangan Gupta & Vasilios Plakandaras, 2019. "Efficiency in BRICS Currency Markets Using Long-Spans of Data: Evidence from Model-Free Tests of Directional Predictability," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 11(1), pages 152-165.
    10. Abir Abid & Christophe Rault, 2021. "On the Exchange Rates Volatility and Economic Policy Uncertainty Nexus: A Panel VAR Approach for Emerging Markets," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 19(3), pages 403-425, September.
    11. Mengxi He & Xianfeng Hao & Yaojie Zhang & Fanyi Meng, 2021. "Forecasting stock return volatility using a robust regression model," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(8), pages 1463-1478, December.
    12. Xu, Ke-Li, 2021. "On the serial correlation in multi-horizon predictive quantile regression," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    13. Salisu, Afees A. & Cuñado, Juncal & Gupta, Rangan, 2022. "Geopolitical risks and historical exchange rate volatility of the BRICS," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 179-190.
    14. Konstantinos Gkillas & Rangan Gupta & Christian Pierdzioch, 2018. "Forecasting (Good and Bad) Realized Exchange-Rate Volatility: Is there a Role for Realized Skewness and Kurtosis?," Working Papers 201879, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    15. Abir Abid & Christophe Rault, 2020. "On the Exchange Rate and Economic Policy Uncertainty Nexus: A Panel VAR Approach for Emerging Markets," CESifo Working Paper Series 8189, CESifo.
    16. Solarin, Sakiru Adebola & Gil-Alana, Luis A., 2021. "The persistence of economic policy uncertainty: Evidence of long range dependence," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 568(C).
    17. Xue Gong & Weiguo Zhang & Weijun Xu & Zhe Li, 2022. "Uncertainty index and stock volatility prediction: evidence from international markets," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-44, December.
    18. Yin, Libo, 2020. "Can the intermediary capital risk predict foreign exchange rates?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    19. Lin Liu, 2022. "Economic Uncertainty and Exchange Market Pressure: Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440211, January.
    20. Anna A. Gainetdinova, 2023. "Asymmetric Impact of Geopolitical Risk and Economic Policy Uncertainty on Russian Ruble Exchange Rate," Journal of Applied Economic Research, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 22(2), pages 270-293.
    21. Abir ABID & Christophe RAULT, 2020. "On the Exchange Rates Volatility and Economic Policy Uncertainty Nexus: A Panel VAR Approach for Emerging Markets," LEO Working Papers / DR LEO 2816, Orleans Economics Laboratory / Laboratoire d'Economie d'Orleans (LEO), University of Orleans.
    22. Chaturvedi, Priya & Kumar, Kuldeep, 2022. "Econometric modelling of exchange rate volatility using mixed-frequency data," MPRA Paper 115222, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Lee A. Smales, 2022. "The influence of policy uncertainty on exchange rate forecasting," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(5), pages 997-1016, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic Policy Uncertainty; Exchange Rate Returns; Volatility; Quantile Predictive Regressions; Developed and Emerging Markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange

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