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The return of financial variables in forecasting GDP growth in the G-7

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  • Petri Kuosmanen

    (University of Vaasa)

  • Juuso Vataja

    (University of Vaasa)

Abstract

The financial crisis and subsequent sovereign debt crisis together had a profound impact on the current economic environment. This study reexamines the established stylized facts and previous evidence regarding the predictive association between financial variables and real economic activity considering changed economic circumstances. This paper focuses on the predictive ability of the term spread, short-term interest rate and stock returns for real GDP growth in the G-7 countries. We compare the predictive content of nominal financial variables with that of real financial variables and consider the proper number of financial predictors and time variations of forecasting performance. The forecasting results unambiguously indicate that financial variables have regained their predictive power since the financial crisis. Moreover, this study shows that real financial variables are superior to nominal variables and that using several financial indicators for forecasting GDP growth is preferable.

Suggested Citation

  • Petri Kuosmanen & Juuso Vataja, 2017. "The return of financial variables in forecasting GDP growth in the G-7," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 259-277, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:50:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s10644-017-9212-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-017-9212-7
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kuosmanen, Petri & Rahko, Jaana & Vataja, Juuso, 2019. "Predictive ability of financial variables in changing economic circumstances," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 37-47.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Term spread; Short-term interest rate; Stock market; Forecasting; Macroeconomy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E37 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E47 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications

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