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Recency Effects in Perceived Uncertainty

Author

Listed:
  • Miguel Acosta
  • Yeji Sung

Abstract

Firms frequently revise not only their expectations, but also how uncertain they feel about those expectations. Using the U.S. Survey of Business Uncertainty, we study perceived uncertainty about firms’ own sales and employment growth. Reported uncertainty rises after larger revisions to firms’ point forecasts, with the strongest response to the most recent revision. This recency pattern remains visible outside elevated sectoral-volatility episodes. We develop a model in which agents learn about a constant-volatility process but recall older observations noisily. Noisy recall gives recent surprises disproportionate influence, even when objective volatility is constant.

Suggested Citation

  • Miguel Acosta & Yeji Sung, 2026. "Recency Effects in Perceived Uncertainty," Working Paper Series 2026-12, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedfwp:103549
    DOI: 10.24148/wp2026-12
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E71 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on the Macro Economy
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets

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