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A hierarchical procedure for the combination of forecasts

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  • Costantini, Mauro
  • Pappalardo, Carmine

Abstract

This paper proposes a strategy to increase the efficiency of forecast combination. Given the availability of a wide range of forecasts for the same variable of interest, our goal is to apply combining methods to a restricted set of models. With this aim, a hierarchical procedure based on an encompassing test is considered. First, forecasting models are ranked according to a measure of predictive accuracy (RMSFE). The models are then selected for combination such that each forecast is not encompassed by any of the competing forecasts. Thus the hierarchical procedure represents a compromise between model selection and model averaging. The robustness of the procedure is investigated in terms of the relative RMSFE using ISAE (Institute for Studies and Economic Analyses) short-term forecasting models for monthly industrial production in Italy.

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  • Costantini, Mauro & Pappalardo, Carmine, 2010. "A hierarchical procedure for the combination of forecasts," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 725-743, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfor:v:26:y::i:4:p:725-743
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    1. Robert Lehmann, 2016. "Economic Growth and Business Cycle Forecasting at the Regional Level," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 65.
    2. Costantini, Mauro & Cuaresma, Jesus Crespo & Hlouskova, Jaroslava, 2014. "Can Macroeconomists Get Rich Forecasting Exchange Rates?," Economics Series 305, Institute for Advanced Studies.
    3. Lux, Thomas & Morales-Arias, Leonardo, 2010. "Relative forecasting performance of volatility models: Monte Carlo evidence," Kiel Working Papers 1582, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Cang, Shuang & Yu, Hongnian, 2014. "A combination selection algorithm on forecasting," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 234(1), pages 127-139.
    5. Alessandro Girardi & Roberto Golinelli & Carmine Pappalardo, 2017. "The role of indicator selection in nowcasting euro-area GDP in pseudo-real time," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 79-99, August.
    6. Jesus Crespo Cuaresma & Ines Fortin & Jaroslava Hlouskova, 2018. "Exchange rate forecasting and the performance of currency portfolios," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(5), pages 519-540, August.
    7. Mauro Costantini & Ulrich Gunter & Robert M. Kunst, 2017. "Forecast Combinations in a DSGE‐VAR Lab," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(3), pages 305-324, April.
    8. Drechsel, Katja & Scheufele, Rolf, 2010. "Should We Trust in Leading Indicators? Evidence from the Recent Recession," IWH Discussion Papers 10/2010, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    9. Lehmann Robert & Wohlrabe Klaus, 2015. "Forecasting GDP at the Regional Level with Many Predictors," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 16(2), pages 226-254, May.
    10. Ma, Feng & Li, Yu & Liu, Li & Zhang, Yaojie, 2018. "Are low-frequency data really uninformative? A forecasting combination perspective," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 92-108.
    11. Wang, Xiaoqian & Hyndman, Rob J. & Li, Feng & Kang, Yanfei, 2023. "Forecast combinations: An over 50-year review," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 1518-1547.
    12. Zhenni Ding & Huayou Chen & Ligang Zhou, 2023. "Using shapely values to define subgroups of forecasts for combining," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(4), pages 905-923, July.
    13. Costantini, Mauro & Gunter, Ulrich & Kunst, Robert M., 2012. "Forecast Combination Based on Multiple Encompassing Tests in a Macroeconomic DSGE-VAR System," Economics Series 292, Institute for Advanced Studies.
    14. Morales-Arias, Leonardo & Moura, Guilherme V., 2013. "Adaptive forecasting of exchange rates with panel data," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 493-509.
    15. Drechsel, Katja & Scheufele, Rolf, 2012. "The performance of short-term forecasts of the German economy before and during the 2008/2009 recession," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 428-445.
    16. Costantini, Mauro & Kunst, Robert M., 2021. "On using predictive-ability tests in the selection of time-series prediction models: A Monte Carlo evaluation," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 445-460.
    17. Bergmeir, Christoph & Costantini, Mauro & Benítez, José M., 2014. "On the usefulness of cross-validation for directional forecast evaluation," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 132-143.

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