IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/baf/cbafwp/cbafwp1882.html

Big Data Econometrics: Now Casting and Early Estimates

Author

Listed:
  • Dario Buono
  • George Kapetanios
  • Massimiliano Marcellino
  • Gianluigi Mazzi
  • Fotis Papailias

Abstract

This paper aims at providing a primer on the use of big data in macroeconomic nowcasting and early estimation. We discuss: (i) a typology of big data characteristics relevant for macroeconomic nowcasting and early estimates, (ii) methods for features extraction from unstructured big data to usable time series, (iii) econometric methods that could be used for nowcasting with big data, (iv) some empirical nowcasting results for key target variables for four EU countries, and (v) ways to evaluate nowcasts and ash estimates. We conclude by providing a set of recommendations to assess the pros and cons of the use of big data in a specific empirical nowcasting context.

Suggested Citation

  • Dario Buono & George Kapetanios & Massimiliano Marcellino & Gianluigi Mazzi & Fotis Papailias, 2018. "Big Data Econometrics: Now Casting and Early Estimates," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1882, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1882
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://repec.unibocconi.it/baffic/baf/papers/cbafwp1882.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scott R. Baker & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis, 2016. "Measuring Economic Policy Uncertainty," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(4), pages 1593-1636.
    2. Peter, Eckley, 2015. "Measuring economic uncertainty using news-media textual data," MPRA Paper 64874, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 May 2015.
    3. Ghysels, Eric & Santa-Clara, Pedro & Valkanov, Rossen, 2004. "The MIDAS Touch: Mixed Data Sampling Regression Models," University of California at Los Angeles, Anderson Graduate School of Management qt9mf223rs, Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA.
    4. Claudia Foroni & Massimiliano Marcellino & Christian Schumacher, 2015. "Unrestricted mixed data sampling (MIDAS): MIDAS regressions with unrestricted lag polynomials," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 178(1), pages 57-82, January.
    5. Diebold, Francis X & Mariano, Roberto S, 2002. "Comparing Predictive Accuracy," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 20(1), pages 134-144, January.
    6. Stock J.H. & Watson M.W., 2002. "Forecasting Using Principal Components From a Large Number of Predictors," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 97, pages 1167-1179, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. George Kapetanios & Fotis Papailias, 2022. "Investigating the predictive ability of ONS big data‐based indicators," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(2), pages 252-258, March.
    2. Fornaro, Paolo, 2020. "Nowcasting Industrial Production Using Uncoventional Data Sources," ETLA Working Papers 80, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    3. Irving Fisher Committee, 2023. "Data science in central banking: applications and tools," IFC Bulletins, Bank for International Settlements, number 59.
    4. Francisco Corona & Graciela Gonz'alez-Far'ias & Jes'us L'opez-P'erez, 2021. "A nowcasting approach to generate timely estimates of Mexican economic activity: An application to the period of COVID-19," Papers 2101.10383, arXiv.org.
    5. David Kohns & Arnab Bhattacharjee, 2019. "Interpreting Big Data in the Macro Economy: A Bayesian Mixed Frequency Estimator," CEERP Working Paper Series 010, Centre for Energy Economics Research and Policy, Heriot-Watt University.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jon Ellingsen & Vegard H. Larsen & Leif Anders Thorsrud, 2020. "News Media vs. FRED-MD for Macroeconomic Forecasting," CESifo Working Paper Series 8639, CESifo.
    2. Jon Ellingsen & Vegard H. Larsen & Leif Anders Thorsrud, 2022. "News media versus FRED‐MD for macroeconomic forecasting," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(1), pages 63-81, January.
    3. Alain Hecq & Marie Ternes & Ines Wilms, 2025. "Hierarchical Regularizers for Reverse Unrestricted Mixed Data Sampling Regressions," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(6), pages 1946-1968, September.
    4. Zheng, Tingguo & Fan, Xinyue & Jin, Wei & Fang, Kuangnan, 2024. "Words or numbers? Macroeconomic nowcasting with textual and macroeconomic data," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 746-761.
    5. Jianhao Lin & Jiacheng Fan & Yifan Zhang & Liangyuan Chen, 2023. "Real‐time macroeconomic projection using narrative central bank communication," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(2), pages 202-221, March.
    6. Knut Are Aastveit & Tuva Marie Fastbø & Eleonora Granziera & Kenneth Sæterhagen Paulsen & Kjersti Næss Torstensen, 2020. "Nowcasting Norwegian household consumption with debit card transaction data," Working Paper 2020/17, Norges Bank.
    7. Jon Ellingsen & Vegard H. Larsen & Leif Anders Thorsrud, 2020. "News media vs. FRED-MD for macroeconomic forecasting," Working Papers No 08/2020, Centre for Applied Macro- and Petroleum economics (CAMP), BI Norwegian Business School.
    8. Philippe Goulet Coulombe & Maxime Leroux & Dalibor Stevanovic & Stéphane Surprenant, 2022. "How is machine learning useful for macroeconomic forecasting?," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(5), pages 920-964, August.
    9. Petropoulos, Fotios & Apiletti, Daniele & Assimakopoulos, Vassilios & Babai, Mohamed Zied & Barrow, Devon K. & Ben Taieb, Souhaib & Bergmeir, Christoph & Bessa, Ricardo J. & Bijak, Jakub & Boylan, Joh, 2022. "Forecasting: theory and practice," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 705-871.
      • Fotios Petropoulos & Daniele Apiletti & Vassilios Assimakopoulos & Mohamed Zied Babai & Devon K. Barrow & Souhaib Ben Taieb & Christoph Bergmeir & Ricardo J. Bessa & Jakub Bijak & John E. Boylan & Jet, 2020. "Forecasting: theory and practice," Papers 2012.03854, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2022.
    10. Magnus Reif, 2020. "Macroeconomics, Nonlinearities, and the Business Cycle," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 87.
    11. Goulet Coulombe, Philippe & Leroux, Maxime & Stevanovic, Dalibor & Surprenant, Stéphane, 2021. "Macroeconomic data transformations matter," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1338-1354.
    12. Diakonova, Marina & Ghirelli, Corinna & Molina, Luis & Pérez, Javier J., 2023. "The economic impact of conflict-related and policy uncertainty shocks: The case of Russia," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 69-90.
    13. Degiannakis, Stavros & Filis, George, 2018. "Forecasting oil prices: High-frequency financial data are indeed useful," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 388-402.
    14. Edward S. Knotek & Saeed Zaman, 2017. "Nowcasting U.S. Headline and Core Inflation," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(5), pages 931-968, August.
    15. Araujo, Gustavo Silva & Gaglianone, Wagner Piazza, 2023. "Machine learning methods for inflation forecasting in Brazil: New contenders versus classical models," Latin American Journal of Central Banking (previously Monetaria), Elsevier, vol. 4(2).
    16. Stefan Neuwirth, 2017. "Time-varying mixed frequency forecasting: A real-time experiment," KOF Working papers 17-430, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    17. Martin Iseringhausen & Konstantinos Theodoridis, 2025. "A survey-based measure of asymmetric macroeconomic risk in the euro area," Working Papers 68, European Stability Mechanism, revised 11 Feb 2025.
    18. repec:cam:camjip:2413 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Byron Botha & Tim Olds & Geordie Reid & Daan Steenkamp & Rossouw van Jaarsveld, 2021. "Nowcasting South African gross domestic product using a suite of statistical models," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(4), pages 526-554, December.
    20. Harchaoui, Tarek M. & Janssen, Robert V., 2018. "How can big data enhance the timeliness of official statistics?," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 225-234.

    More about this item

    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
    • C55 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Large Data Sets: Modeling and Analysis

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1882. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Michela Pozzi (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cbbocit.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.