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Can Google search data help predict macroeconomic series?

Author

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  • Niesert, Robin F.
  • Oorschot, Jochem A.
  • Veldhuisen, Christian P.
  • Brons, Kester
  • Lange, Rutger-Jan

Abstract

We make use of Google search data in an attempt to predict unemployment, CPI and consumer confidence for the US, UK, Canada, Germany and Japan. Google search queries have previously proven valuable in predicting macroeconomic variables in an in-sample context. However, to the best of our knowledge, the more challenging question of whether such data have out-of-sample predictive value has not yet been answered satisfactorily. We focus on out-of-sample nowcasting, and extend the Bayesian structural time series model using the Hamiltonian sampler for variable selection. We find that the search data retain their value in an out-of-sample predictive context for unemployment, but not for CPI or consumer confidence. It is possible that online search behaviours are a relatively reliable gauge of an individual’s personal situation (employment status), but less reliable when it comes to variables that are unknown to the individual (CPI) or too general to be linked to specific search terms (consumer confidence).

Suggested Citation

  • Niesert, Robin F. & Oorschot, Jochem A. & Veldhuisen, Christian P. & Brons, Kester & Lange, Rutger-Jan, 2020. "Can Google search data help predict macroeconomic series?," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1163-1172.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfor:v:36:y:2020:i:3:p:1163-1172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2018.12.006
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    Cited by:

    1. van der Wielen, Wouter & Barrios, Salvador, 2021. "Economic sentiment during the COVID pandemic: Evidence from search behaviour in the EU," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    2. David Kohns & Arnab Bhattacharjee, 2020. "Nowcasting Growth using Google Trends Data: A Bayesian Structural Time Series Model," Papers 2011.00938, arXiv.org, revised May 2022.
    3. Fernandez-Perez, Adrian & Fuertes, Ana-Maria & Gonzalez-Fernandez, Marcos & Miffre, Joelle, 2020. "Fear of hazards in commodity futures markets," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    4. Laurent Ferrara & Anna Simoni, 2023. "When are Google Data Useful to Nowcast GDP? An Approach via Preselection and Shrinkage," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 1188-1202, October.
    5. Kwon, Yujin & Park, Sung Y., 2023. "Modeling an early warning system for household debt risk in Korea: A simple deep learning approach," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    6. Rodrigo Mulero & Alfredo García-Hiernaux, 2021. "Forecasting Spanish unemployment with Google Trends and dimension reduction techniques," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 12(3), pages 329-349, September.
    7. Daniel Borup & David E. Rapach & Erik Christian Montes Schütte, 2021. "Now- and Backcasting Initial Claims with High-Dimensional Daily Internet Search-Volume Data," CREATES Research Papers 2021-02, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    8. Kohns, David & Bhattacharjee, Arnab, 2023. "Nowcasting growth using Google Trends data: A Bayesian Structural Time Series model," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1384-1412.
    9. Khaskheli, Asadullah & Zhang, Hongyu & Raza, Syed Ali & Khan, Komal Akram, 2022. "Assessing the influence of news indicator on volatility of precious metals prices through GARCH-MIDAS model: A comparative study of pre and during COVID-19 period," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Salisu, Afees A. & Ogbonna, Ahamuefula E. & Adewuyi, Adeolu, 2020. "Google trends and the predictability of precious metals," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    11. Rodrigo Mulero & Alfredo Garcia-Hiernaux, 2023. "Forecasting unemployment with Google Trends: age, gender and digital divide," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(2), pages 587-605, August.
    12. Caperna, Giulio & Colagrossi, Marco & Geraci, Andrea & Mazzarella, Gianluca, 2022. "A babel of web-searches: Googling unemployment during the pandemic," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Borup, Daniel & Rapach, David E. & Schütte, Erik Christian Montes, 2023. "Mixed-frequency machine learning: Nowcasting and backcasting weekly initial claims with daily internet search volume data," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1122-1144.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bayesian methods; Forecasting practice; Kalman filter; Macroeconomic forecasting; State space models; Nowcasting; Spike-and-slab; Hamiltonian sampler;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods

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