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Tracking global economic uncertainty: implications for the euro area

Author

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  • Bobasu, Alina
  • Geis, André
  • Quaglietti, Lucia
  • Ricci, Martino

Abstract

This paper sheds light on the impact of global macroeconomic uncertainty on the euro area economy. We build on the methodology proposed by Jurado et al. (2015) and estimate global as well as country-specific measures of economic uncertainty for fifteen key euro area trade partners and the euro area. Our measures display a clear counter-cyclical pattern and line up well to a wide range of historical events generally associated with heightened uncertainty. In addition, following Piffer and Podstawski (2018), we estimate a Proxy SVAR where we instrument uncertainty shocks with changes in the price of gold around specific past events. We find that, historically, global uncertainty shocks have been important drivers of fluctuations in euro area economic activity, with one standard deviation increase in the identified uncertainty shock subtracting around 0.15 percentage points from euro area industrial production on impact. JEL Classification: D81, C11, C55, E32, F41, F62

Suggested Citation

  • Bobasu, Alina & Geis, André & Quaglietti, Lucia & Ricci, Martino, 2021. "Tracking global economic uncertainty: implications for the euro area," Working Paper Series 2541, European Central Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20212541
    Note: 504004
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    2. Eksi, Ozan & Onur Tas, Bedri Kamil, 2022. "Time-varying effect of uncertainty shocks on unemployment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    3. Breitenlechner, Max & Georgiadis, Georgios & Schumann, Ben, 2022. "What goes around comes around: How large are spillbacks from US monetary policy?," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 45-60.
    4. Comunale, Mariarosaria & Nguyen, Anh Dinh Minh, 2025. "A comprehensive MacroEconomic uncertainty measure for the euro area and its implications to COVID-19," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    5. Fisera, Boris, 2024. "Exchange rates and the speed of economic recovery: The role of financial development," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 48(1).
    6. Shovon Sengupta & Sunny Kumar Singh & Tanujit Chakraborty, 2025. "Macroeconomic Forecasting for the G7 countries under Uncertainty Shocks," Papers 2510.23347, arXiv.org.
    7. Georgiadis, Georgios & Müller, Gernot J. & Schumann, Ben, 2024. "Global risk and the dollar," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    8. Müller, Gernot & Georgiadis, Georgios & Schumann, Ben, 2023. "Dollar Trinity and the Global Financial Cycle," CEPR Discussion Papers 18427, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Melas Konstantinos D. & Michail Nektarios A. & Louca Kyriaki G., 2025. "Trade Uncertainty, Economic Policy Uncertainty and Shipping Costs," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 26(1), pages 15-33.
    10. Durante, Elena & McGeever, Niall, 2022. "SME Credit Conditions in the Pandemic Recovery," Financial Stability Notes 2/FS/22, Central Bank of Ireland.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General
    • C55 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Large Data Sets: Modeling and Analysis
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics
    • F62 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - Macroeconomic Impacts

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