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Evaluating density forecasts: model combination strategies versus the RBNZ

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Abstract

Forecasting the future path of the economy is essential for good monetary policy decisions. The recent financial crisis has highlighted the importance of tail events, and that assessing the central projection is not enough. The whole range of outcomes should be forecasted, evaluated and accounted for when making monetary policy decisions. As such, we construct density fore- casts using the historical performance of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's (RBNZ) published point forecasts. We compare these implied RBNZ den- sities to similarly constructed densities from a suite of empirical models. In particular, we compare the implied RBNZ densities to combinations of density forecasts from the models. Our results reveal that the combined den- sities are comparable in performance and sometimes better than the implied RBNZ densities across many di erent horizons and variables. We also find that the combination strategies typically perform better than relying on the best model in real-time, that is the selection strategy.

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  • Chris McDonald & Leif Anders Thorsrud, 2011. "Evaluating density forecasts: model combination strategies versus the RBNZ," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Discussion Paper Series DP2011/03, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    • Handle: RePEc:nzb:nzbdps:2011/03
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    1. Bloor, Chris & Matheson, Troy, 2011. "Real-time conditional forecasts with Bayesian VARs: An application to New Zealand," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 26-42, January.
    2. Dr. James Mitchell, 2009. "Macro Modelling with Many Models," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 337, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    3. Jana Eklund & Sune Karlsson, 2007. "Forecast Combination and Model Averaging Using Predictive Measures," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(2-4), pages 329-363.
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    6. Chris Bloor, 2009. "The use of statistical forecasting models at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bulletin, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, vol. 72, pages 21-26, June.
    7. Dr. James Mitchell, 2009. "Macro Modelling with Many Models," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 337, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    8. Diebold, Francis X. & Pauly, Peter, 1990. "The use of prior information in forecast combination," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 503-508, December.
    9. Aiolfi, Marco & Timmermann, Allan, 2006. "Persistence in forecasting performance and conditional combination strategies," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 135(1-2), pages 31-53.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah Drought & Chris McDonald, 2011. "Forecasting house price inflation: a model combination approach," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Discussion Paper Series DP2011/07, Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
    2. Benjamin Avanzi & Yanfeng Li & Bernard Wong & Alan Xian, 2022. "Ensemble distributional forecasting for insurance loss reserving," Papers 2206.08541, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2024.
    3. Paulo M. Sánchez & Luis Fernando Melo, 2013. "Combinación de brechas del producto colombiano," Revista ESPE - Ensayos Sobre Política Económica, Banco de la República, vol. 31(72), pages 74-82, December.
    4. Richardson, Adam & van Florenstein Mulder, Thomas & Vehbi, Tuğrul, 2021. "Nowcasting GDP using machine-learning algorithms: A real-time assessment," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 941-948.
    5. Rusnák, Marek, 2016. "Nowcasting Czech GDP in real time," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 26-39.
    6. Richardson, Adam & van Florenstein Mulder, Thomas & Vehbi, Tuğrul, 2021. "Nowcasting GDP using machine-learning algorithms: A real-time assessment," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 941-948.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C52 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Evaluation, Validation, and Selection
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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