How hard is the euro area core? A wavelet analysis of growth cycles in Germany, France and Italy

Using recent advances in time-varying spectral methods, this research analyses the growth cycles of the core of the euro area in terms of frequency content and phasing of cycles. The methodology uses the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and also Hilbert wavelet pairs in the setting of a non-decimated discrete wavelet transform in order to analyse bivariate time series in terms of conventional frequency domain measures from spectral analysis. The findings are that coherence and phasing between the three core members of the euro area (France, Germany and Italy) have increased since the launch of the euro

How hard is the euro are core? An evaluation of growth cycles using wavelet analysis

Using recent advances in time-varying spectral methods, this research analyses the growth cycles of the core of the euro area in terms of frequency content and phasing of cycles. The methodology uses the con-tinuous wavelet transform (CWT) and also Hilbert wavelet pairs in the setting of a non-decimated discrete wavelet transform in order to analyse bivariate time series in terms of conventional frequency domain measures from spectral analysis. The findings are that coherence and phasing between the three core members of the euro area (France, Germany and Italy) have increased since the launch of the euro.time-varying spectral analysis; coherence; phase; business cycles; EMU; growth cycles; Hilbert trans-form; wavelet analysis

Macro economy, stock market and oil prices: Do meaningful relationships exist among their cyclical fluctuations?

This paper examines the relationship among consumer price index, industrial production, stock market and oil prices in Greece. Initially we use a unified statistical framework (cointegration and VECM) to study the data in levels. We then employ a multivariate VAR model to examine the relationship between the cyclical components of our series. The period of the study is from 1996:1 – 2008:6. Findings suggest that oil prices and the stock market exercise a positive effect on the Greek CPI, in the long run. Cyclical components analysis suggests that oil prices exercise significant negative influence to the stock market. In addition, oil prices are negatively influencing CPI, at a significant level. However, we find no effect of oil prices on industrial production and CPI. Finally, no relationship can be documented between the industrial production and stock market for the Greek market. The findings of this study are of a particular interest and importance to policy makers, financial managers, financial analysts and investors dealing with the Greek economy and the Greek stock market

Extracting the Italian output gap: a Bayesian approach

During the last decades particular effort has been directed towards understanding and predicting the relevant state of the business cycle with the objective of decomposing permanent shocks from those having only a transitory impact on real output. This trend--cycle decomposition has a relevant impact on several economic and fiscal variables and constitutes by itself an important indicator for policy purposes. This paper deals with trend--cycle decomposition for the Italian economy having some interesting peculiarities which makes it attractive to analyse from both a statistic and an historical perspective. We propose an univariate model for the quarterly real GDP, subsequently extended to include the price dynamics through a Phillips curve. This study considers a series of the Italian quarterly real GDP recently released by OECD which includes both the 1960s and the recent global financial crisis of 2007--2008. Parameters estimate as well as the signal extraction are performed within the Bayesian paradigm which effectively handles complex models where the parameters enter the log--likelihood function in a strongly nonlinear way. A new Adaptive Independent Metropolis--within--Gibbs sampler is then developed to efficiently simulate the parameters of the unobserved cycle. Our results suggest that inflation influences the Output Gap estimate, making the extracted Italian OG an important indicator of inflation pressures on the real side of the economy, as stated by the Phillips theory. Moreover, our estimate of the sequence of peaks and troughs of the Output Gap is in line with the OECD official dating of the Italian business cycle

Non-linear models: applications in economics

The study concentrated on demonstrating how non-linear modelling can be useful to investigate the behavioural of dynamic economic systems. Using some adequate non-linear models could be a good way to find more refined solutions to actually unsolved problems or ambiguities in economics. Beginning with a short presentation of the simplest non-linear models, then we are demonstrating how the dynamics of complex systems, as the economic system is, could be explained on the base of some more advanced non-linear models and using specific techniques of simulation. We are considering the non-linear models only as an alternative to the stochastic linear models in economics. The conventional explanations of the behaviour of economic system contradict many times the empirical evidence. We are trying to demonstrate that small modifications in the standard linear form of some economic models make more complex and consequently more realistic the behaviour of system simulated on the base of the new non-linear models. Finally, few applications of non-linear models to the study of inflation-unemployment relationship, potentially useful for further empirical studies, are presented.non-linear model; continuous time map; strange attractor; fractal dimension; natural unemployment

Estimating potential output using business survey data in a SVAR framework

Potential output and the related concept of output gap play a central role in the macroeconomic policy interventions and evaluations. In particular, the output gap, defined as the difference between actual and potential output, conveys useful information on the cyclical position of a given economy. The aim of this paper is to propose estimates of the Italian potential GDP based on structural VAR models. With respect to other techniques, like the univariate filters (i.e. the Hodrick-Prescott filter), the estimates obtained through the SVAR methodology are free from end-of-sample problems, thus resulting particularly useful for short-term analysis. In order to provide information on the economic fluctuations, data coming from business surveys are considered in the model. This kind of data, given their cyclical profile, are particularly useful for detrending purposes, as they allow to include information concerning the business cycle activity. To assess the estimate reliability, an end-of-sample revision evaluation is performed. The ability of the cyclical GDP component to detect business cycle turning points is then performed by comparing the estimated output gaps, extracted with different detrending methods, over the expansion and recession phases of the Italian business cycle chronology.potential output, business survey data, structural VAR models, end-of-sample revisions.