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Estimating large-scale factor models for economic activity in Germany: Do they outperform simpler models?

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  • Dreger, Christian
  • Schumacher, Christian

Abstract

This paper discusses a large-scale factor model for the German economy. Following the recent literature, a data set of 121 time series is used via principal component analysis to determine the factors, which enter a dynamic model for German GDP. The model is compared with alternative univariate and multivariate models. These models are based on regression techniques and considerably smaller data sets. Out-of-sample forecasts show that the prediction errors of the factor model are smaller than the errors of the rival models. However, these advantages are not statistically significant, as a test for equal forecast accuracy shows. Therefore, the effciency gains of using a large data set with this kind of factor models seem to be limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Dreger, Christian & Schumacher, Christian, 2002. "Estimating large-scale factor models for economic activity in Germany: Do they outperform simpler models?," HWWA Discussion Papers 199, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWA).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:hwwadp:26321
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Factor models; Principal components; forecasting accuracy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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