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Government Spending Reloaded: Fundamentalness and Heterogeneity in Fiscal SVARs

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  • Ricco, Giovanni
  • Ellahie, Atif

Abstract

Using a large information approach and full Bayesian VAR techniques, we study the economic effects of fiscal policy shocks in the U.S. over the last five decades. We find that omitted variables can explain the well known sample instability of the estimates for the fiscal multiplier. We also find evidence of fiscal foresight and anticipation of the government spending shocks recovered from small Structural VARs (SVARs). Despite incorporating forecasts of government spending, Expectational VARs (EVARs) also show signs of fiscal foresight and anticipation. Conversely, the fiscal shocks recovered from a large information BVAR do not exhibit the same problem. Moreover, large information SVARs and EVARs deliver identical dynamic responses to fiscal shocks. Finally, we report multipliers and impulse response functions for aggregate government spending as well as for components of government spending, and find remarkably heterogeneous responses.

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  • Ricco, Giovanni & Ellahie, Atif, 2012. "Government Spending Reloaded: Fundamentalness and Heterogeneity in Fiscal SVARs," MPRA Paper 42105, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:42105
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    1. > Econometrics > Time Series Models > VAR Models > Bayesian Vector autoregressions (BVARs)

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    1. Forni, Mario & Gambetti, Luca, 2016. "Government spending shocks in open economy VARs," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 68-84.
    2. Ilori, Ayobami E. & Paez-Farrell, Juan & Thoenissen, Christoph, 2022. "Fiscal policy shocks and international spillovers," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    3. Ricco, Giovanni, 2015. "A new identification of fiscal shocks based on the information flow," Working Paper Series 1813, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    structural VARs; large Bayesian VARs; fiscal shocks; government spending; government spending news; fiscal foresight; survey of professional forecasters;
    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
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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