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Microeconomic Origins of Macroeconomic Tail Risks

Author

Listed:
  • Daron Acemoglu
  • Asuman Ozdaglar
  • Alireza Tahbaz-Salehi
Abstract
We document that even though the normal distribution provides a good approximation to GDP fluctuations, it severely underpredicts “macroeconomic tail risks,” that is, the frequency of large economic downturns. Using a multi-sector general equilibrium model, we show that the interplay of idiosyncratic microeconomic shocks and sectoral heterogeneity results in systematic departures in the likelihood of large economic downturns relative to what is implied by the normal distribution. Notably, we also show that such departures can happen while GDP is approximately normally distributed away from the tails, highlighting the qualitatively different behavior of large economic downturns from small or moderate fluctuations. We further demonstrate the special role that input-output linkages play in generating “tail comovements,” whereby large recessions involve not only significant GDP contractions, but also large simultaneous declines across a wide range of sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Daron Acemoglu & Asuman Ozdaglar & Alireza Tahbaz-Salehi, 2015. "Microeconomic Origins of Macroeconomic Tail Risks," NBER Working Papers 20865, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:20865
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C67 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Input-Output Models
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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