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Heterogeneous forecasts and aggregate dynamics

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Abstract

Motivated by issues raised in both the finance and economics literatures, I construct a dynamic general equilibrium model where agents use differing degrees of sophistication when forecasting future economic conditions. All agents solve standard dynamic optimization problems and face strategic complementarity in production, but some solve their inference problems based on simple forecasting rules of thumb. Assuming a hierarchical information structure similar to the one in Townsend's (1983) model of informationally dispersed markets, I show that even a minority of rule-of-thumb forecasters can have a significant effect on the aggregate properties of the economy. For instance, as agents try to forecast each others' behavior they effectively strengthen the internal propagation mechanism of the economy. The quantitative results are obtained by calibrating the model and running a battery of sensitivity tests on key parameters. The analysis highlights the role of strategic complementarity in the heterogeneous expectations literature and quantifies many qualitative claims about the aggregate implications of expectational heterogeneity.

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  • Antulio N. Bomfim, 2000. "Heterogeneous forecasts and aggregate dynamics," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2000-16, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgfe:2000-16
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    Cited by:

    1. Tamotsu Onozaki, 2018. "Nonlinearity, Bounded Rationality, and Heterogeneity," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-4-431-54971-0, December.
    2. Seppo Honkapohja & Kaushik Mitra, 2006. "Learning Stability in Economies with Heterogeneous Agents," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 9(2), pages 284-309, April.
    3. Volkan Hacioglu, 2015. "Bayesian Expectations and Strategic Complementarity: Implications for Macroeconomic Stability," Post-Print hal-01404402, HAL.
    4. Neven Valev & John Carlson, 2007. "Beliefs about Exchange‐Rate Stability: Survey Evidence from the Currency Board in Bulgaria," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 111-121.
    5. Carlson, John A. & Valev, Naven, 2008. "Fixed exchange rate credibility with heterogeneous expectations," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 1712-1722, December.
    6. Granato, Jim & Guse, Eran A. & Wong, M. C. Sunny, 2008. "Learning From The Expectations Of Others," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 345-377, June.
    7. Onozaki, Tamotsu & Sieg, Gernot & Yokoo, Masanori, 2003. "Stability, chaos and multiple attractors: a single agent makes a difference," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 27(10), pages 1917-1938, August.
    8. Neven T. Valev & John A. Carlson, 2007. "Beliefs about Exchange-Rate Stability: Survey Evidence from the Currency Board in Bulgaria," Journal of Economic Policy Reform, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 111-121.

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