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Model and survey estimates of the term structure of US macroeconomic uncertainty

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  • Clements, Michael P.
  • Galvão, Ana Beatriz
Abstract
Survey data on macro-forecasters suggest that their assessments of future output growth and inflation uncertainty tend to be too high. We find that model estimates of the term structure of ex ante or perceived macro uncertainty are more in line with ex post RMSE measures than are the survey respondents’ perceptions. At shorter horizons, the models’ assessments of the uncertainty characterising the outlook are lower than those indicated by the survey data histograms, and closer to the RMSE estimates. Recent developments in econometric modelling ensure that the models’ information sets line up with the timing of information available to the survey respondents, thus enabling a fair comparison.

Suggested Citation

  • Clements, Michael P. & Galvão, Ana Beatriz, 2017. "Model and survey estimates of the term structure of US macroeconomic uncertainty," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 591-604.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfor:v:33:y:2017:i:3:p:591-604
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2017.01.004
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    2. Knüppel, Malte & Schultefrankenfeld, Guido, 2019. "Assessing the uncertainty in central banks’ inflation outlooks," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 1748-1769.
    3. Oscar Claveria, 2020. "“Measuring and assessing economic uncertainty”," AQR Working Papers 2012003, University of Barcelona, Regional Quantitative Analysis Group, revised Jul 2020.
    4. Petar Soric & Oscar Claveria, 2021. ""Employment uncertainty a year after the irruption of the covid-19 pandemic"," IREA Working Papers 202112, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised May 2021.
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    6. Oscar Claveria, 2020. "Business and consumer uncertainty in the face of the pandemic: A sector analysis in European countries," Papers 2012.02091, arXiv.org.
    7. Lee, Hangyu & Kim, Tae Bong, 2023. "The effectiveness of labor market indicators for conducting monetary policy: Evidence from the Korean economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
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    10. Oscar Claveria, 2021. "Uncertainty indicators based on expectations of business and consumer surveys," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 48(2), pages 483-505, May.
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    12. Todd E. Clark & Gergely Ganics & Elmar Mertens, 2022. "What is the Predictive Value of SPF Point and Density Forecasts?," Working Papers 22-37, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
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    14. Oscar Claveria, 2021. "Forecasting with Business and Consumer Survey Data," Forecasting, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-22, February.
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