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Does the Yield Spread Predict the Output Gap in the U.S.?

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Abstract

Yes, but only at short horizons from 1 to 3 quarters over the full post-World War II sample. The predictive relation between the yield spread and the output gap is characterized by parameter instability. Differently from the predictive models of the yield spread for output growth, structural instability is not due to a loss of predictive ability after 1985. Rather, the predictive relation estimated on post-1985 data holds for a range of horizons larger than for pre-1985 data. I also show that the information on current monetary policy is statistically irrelevant for the prediction of the output gap over the post-1985 subsample.

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  • Zagaglia, Paolo, 2006. "Does the Yield Spread Predict the Output Gap in the U.S.?," Research Papers in Economics 2006:5, Stockholm University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:sunrpe:2006_0005
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    Cited by:

    1. Arif Dar & Amaresh Samantaraya & Firdous Shah, 2014. "The predictive power of yield spread: evidence from wavelet analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 887-901, May.
    2. Firdous Ahmad Shah & Lokenath Debnath, 2017. "Wavelet Neural Network Model for Yield Spread Forecasting," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Dalu Zhang & Peter Moffatt, 2012. "The yield curve as a leading indicator in economic forecasting in the U.K," University of East Anglia Applied and Financial Economics Working Paper Series 035, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    4. Dalu Zhang & Peter Moffatt, 2013. "Time series non-linearity in the real growth / recession-term spread relationship," University of East Anglia Applied and Financial Economics Working Paper Series 047, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    output gap; yield spread; predictability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E27 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects

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