Economic forecasting
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Economic forecasting is the process of making predictions about the economy. Forecasts can be carried out at a high level of aggregation—for example for
The economist typically considers risks (i.e., events or conditions that can cause the result to vary from their initial estimates). These risks help illustrate the reasoning process used in arriving at the final forecast numbers. Economists typically use commentary along with
Everything from macroeconomic,[2] microeconomic,[3] market data from the future,[4] machine-learning (artificial neural networks),[5] and human behavioral studies[6] have all been used to achieve better forecasts. Forecasts are used for a variety of purposes. Governments and businesses use economic forecasts to help them determine their strategy, multi-year plans, and budgets for the upcoming year. Stock market analysts use forecasts to help them estimate the valuation of a company and its stock.
Economists select which variables are important to the subject material under discussion. Economists may use statistical analysis of historical data to determine the apparent relationships between particular
Sources of forecasts
Global scope
The
There are also private companies such as
As of April 2024, the World Trade Organization (WTO) projects a rebound in global merchandise trade, forecasting a growth of 2.6% for the year, and an anticipated increase to 3.3% in 2025, following a 1.2% decline in 2023. During 2023, there was a significant reduction in merchandise exports, which fell by 5% to US$ 24.01 trillion, contrasting sharply with the commercial services sector, which saw a 9% increase in exports to US$ 7.54 trillion. The global GDP is expected to stabilize, maintaining a growth rate of 2.6% in 2024 and 2.7% in 2025. From a regional perspective, Africa is forecasted to experience the highest export growth at 5.3% in 2024, closely followed by the CIS region at nearly the same rate. Moderate growth is expected in North America, the Middle East, and Asia, with rates projected at 3.6%, 3.5%, and 3.4%, respectively, while European exports are anticipated to grow by only 1.7%. Import growth will likely be robust in Asia (5.6%) and Africa (4.4%), with Europe showing almost no growth at 0.1%. Digital services trade remains resilient, reaching US$ 4.25 trillion in exports in 2023, and accounting for 13.8% of global exports of goods and services, with significant growth observed in Africa (13%) and South and Central America and the Caribbean (11%). Additionally, the WTO has launched the Global Services Trade Data Hub to provide detailed insights into the evolving landscape of services trade, with a particular focus on digitalization.[12][13]
U.S. forecasts
The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) publishes a report titled "The Budget and Economic Outlook" annually, which primarily covers the following ten-year period.[14] The U.S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors members also give speeches, provide testimony, and issue reports throughout the year that cover the economic outlook.[15][16] Regional Federal Reserve Banks, such as the St Louis Federal Reserve Bank also provide forecasts.[17]
Large banks such as Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase provide economics reports and newsletters.[18][19]
European forecasts
The European Commission also publishes comprehensive macroeconomic forecasts for its member countries on a quarterly basis - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.[20]
Combining Forecasts
Forecasts from multiple sources may be arithmetically combined and the result is often referred to as a consensus forecast. Private firms, central banks, and government agencies publish a large volume of forecast information to meet the strong demand for economic forecast data. Consensus Economics compiles the macroeconomic forecasts prepared by a variety of forecasters, and publishes them on a weekly and monthly basis. The Economist magazine regularly provides such a snapshot as well, for a narrower range of countries and variables.
Econometric studies have demonstrated that the use of past errors of each original forecast to determine the weights assigned to each forecast in the creation of a combined forecast results in a composite set of forecasts that generally yield to lower mean-square errors compared to either of the individual original forecasts.[21] However, it has been found that the entry and exit of forecasters can have a substantial impact on the real-time effectiveness of conventional combination methods.[22] The dynamic nature of the forecasting combination and adjusting weighting techniques is not neutral.
Forecast methods
The process of economic forecasting is similar to data analysis and results in estimated values for key economic variables in the future. An economist applies the techniques of econometrics in their forecasting process. Typical steps may include:
- Scope: Key economic variables and topics for forecast commentary are determined based on the needs of the forecast audience.
- Literature review: Commentary from sources with summary-level perspective, such as the IMF, OECD, U.S. Federal Reserve, and CBO helps with identifying key economic trends, issues and risks. Such commentary can also help the forecaster with their own assumptions while also giving them other forecasts to compare against.
- Obtain data inputs: Historical data is gathered on key economic variables. This data is contained in print as well as electronic sources such as the FRED database or Eurostat, which allow users to query historical values for variables of interest.
- Determine historical relationships: Historical data is used to determine the relationships between one or more independent variables and the dependent variable under study, often by using regression analysis.
- Model: Historical data inputs and assumptions are used to develop an econometric model. Models typically apply a computation to a series of inputs to generate an economic forecast for one or more variables.
- Report: The outputs of the model are included in reports that typically include information graphicsand commentary to help the reader understand the forecast.
Forecasters may use computational general equilibrium models or dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models. The latter are often used by central banks.
Methods of forecasting include
The World Bank provides a means for individuals and organizations to run their own simulations and forecasts using its iSimulate platform.[23]
Issues in forecasting
Forecast accuracy
There are many studies on the subject of forecast accuracy. Accuracy is one of the main, if not the main, criteria used to judge forecast quality. Some of the references below relate to academic studies of forecast accuracy. Forecasting performance appears to be time-dependent, where some exogenous events affect forecast quality. As expert forecasts are generally better than market-based forecasts, forecast performance depends on several factors: model, political economy (terrorism), financial stability etc.
In early 2014 the OECD carried out a self-analysis of its projections.[24] "The OECD also found that it was too optimistic for countries that were most open to trade and foreign finance, that had the most tightly regulated markets and weak banking systems" according to the Financial Times.[25]
In 2012 Consensus Economics launched its Forecast Accuracy Award, and each year publishes a list of winners who have most accurately predicted the final outcome of GDP and CPI for the prior year for over 40 countries. "Consensus Economics Forecast Accuracy Award"
In recent years, research has demonstrated that behavioral biases play a significant role in affecting the accuracy of forecasts. The education and working experience of forecasters influence the accuracy and boldness of their predictions.[26] Forecasting accuracy is also impacted by the forecaster's experience with high inflation rates.[27] Additionally, political events such as terrorism have been shown to influence the accuracy of both expert- and market-based forecasts of inflation and exchange rates.[28] This highlights the range of external factors and biases that should be considered when evaluating the accuracy of forecasts and making informed decisions.
Forecasts and the Great Recession
The financial and economic
It was not just forecasting the Great Recession, but also forecasting its impact where it was clear that economists struggled.
For example, in Singapore Citi argued the country would experience "the most severe recession in Singapore’s history". The economy grew in 2009 by 3.1% and in 2010, the nation saw a 15.2% growth rate.[31][32] Similarly, Nouriel Roubini predicted in January 2009 that oil prices would stay below $40 for all of 2009. By the end of 2009, however, oil prices were at $80.[33][34] In March 2009, he predicted the S&P 500 would fall below 600 that year, and possibly plummet to 200.[33][35] It closed at over 1,115, up 24%, the largest single year gain since 2003.[36] In 2009 he also predicted that the US government would take over and nationalize a number of large banks; it did not happen.[37][38] In October 2009 he predicted that gold "can go above $1,000, but it can’t move up 20-30%”; he was wrong, as the price of gold rose over the next 18 months, breaking through the $1,000 barrier to over $1,400.[38] Although in May 2010 he predicted a 20% decline in the stock market, the S&P actually rose about 20% over the course of the next year (even excluding returns from dividends).[39]
List of regularly published surveys based on polling economists on their forecasts
Organization name | Forecast name | Number of individuals surveyed | Number of countries covered | List of countries/regions covered | Frequency | How far ahead the forecasts are made for | Start date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Chip Publications division of Aspen Publishers
|
Blue Chip Economic Indicators[40] | 50+[40] | 1 | United States | Monthly[40] | ? | 1976[40] |
Consensus Economics | Consensus Forecasts | over 700[41][42] | 115[41][42] | Member countries of the | Weekly and monthly[41][42] | 12 months to 10 years | 1989[43] |
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia | Livingston Survey[44] | ? | 1 | United States[44] | Bi-annually (June and December every year)[44] | Two bi-annual periods (6 months and 12 months from now), plus some forecasts for two years | 1946[44] |
European Central Bank | ECB Survey of Professional Forecasters[45][46] | 55 | ? | Euro zone |
Quarterly[45] | Two quarters and six quarters from now, plus the current and next two years | 1999[45][46] |
RFE | Resources for Economists | ? | ? | Global Economic Outlook | Quarterly | Two quarters and six quarters from now, plus the current and next two years | 1949 |
See also
- Aladdin (BlackRock)
- Economic Cycle Research Institute
- Efficient contract theory
- Social return on investment
- Financial forecast
- Stock market prediction
Footnotes
- ^ Wells Fargo Economics-Multiple Examples of Reports Using Data Visualization-Retrieved July 15, 2015
- S2CID 157510462.
- .
- S2CID 157962452.
- hdl:10419/167811.
- .
- ISBN 978-0-03-094922-7.
- ^ "Forecasting methods and analytical tools - OECD".
- ^ "IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO), April 2015: Uneven Growth: Short- and Long-Term Factors". IMF.
- ^ "Regional Economic Outlook". IMF. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ "TS Lombard". Economics Politics Markets. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ "WTO forecasts rebound in global trade but warns of downside risks". www.wto.org. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ World Trade Organization. (2024). Global Trade Outlook and Statistics April 2024. ISBN 978-92-870-7633-5. Retrieved April 12, 2024, from https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/trade_outlook24_e.pdf
- ^ "The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2015 to 2025 | Congressional Budget Office". www.cbo.gov. January 26, 2015.
- ^ "Speech by Chair Yellen on recent developments and the outlook for the economy". Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
- ^ Federal Reserve-Monetary Policy Report-Retrieved July 2015
- ^ "Tracking the Recession - St. Louis Fed". research.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- ^ Wells Fargo Economics-Retrieved July 2015
- ^ JP Morgan Chase-Guide to the Markets Q3 2015 - Retrieved July 2015
- ^ "Economic forecasts". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
- .
- S2CID 116453612.
- ^ "ISimulate @ World Bank".
- ^ OECD forecasts during and after the financial crisis: a post mortem
- ^ Giles, Chris (2014-02-11). "OECD admits to forecasting errors during eurozone crisis". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- S2CID 229274267.
- .
- ISSN 0264-9993.
- Public Broadcasting Service
- ^ British Academy-The Global Financial Crisis Why Didn't Anybody Notice?-Retrieved July 27, 2015 Archived July 7, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- S2CID 158182047.
- ^ Subler, Jason (2009-01-02). "Factories slash output, jobs around world". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ^ a b Joe Keohane (January 9, 2011). "That guy who called the big one? Don’t listen to him." The Boston Globe.
- ^ Eric Tyson (2018). Personal Finance For Dummies
- ^ Maneet Ahuja (2014). The Alpha Masters; Unlocking the Genius of the World's Top Hedge Funds
- The Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2009.
- AOL.com.
- ^ a b Alice Guy (January 16, 2023). "Seven times the experts got it very wrong on the economy," Interactive Investor.
- ^ Larry Swedroe (May 20, 2011). "Nouriel Roubini Misses Another Prediction," CBS News.
- ^ a b c d Moore, Randell E. "Blue Chip Economic Indicators". Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Consensus Economics". Consensus Economics. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Consensus Economics (about page)". Consensus Economics. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ "Data For Institutional Investors". Consensus Economics. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Livingston Survey". Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
- ^ a b c "ECB Survey of Professional Forecasters". European Central Bank. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ a b Juan Angel Garcia (September 2003). "An Introduction to the ECB's Survey of Professional Forecasters" (PDF). European Central Bank.
Further reading
- Walter A. Friedman, Fortune Tellers: The Story of America's First Economic Forecasters. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0691169194.
- "The IMF and OECD versus Consensus Forecasts", August 2000. Applied Economics, 33(2), p. 225-235 Roy Batchelor (City University Business School) The IMF and OECD versus Consensus Forecasts
- "Assessment of Consensus Forecasts Accuracy: The Czech National Bank Perspective", Working Paper Series 14, 2010, December 2010 Filip Novotný and Marie Raková (both Czech National Bank) "Assessment of Consensus Forecasts Accuracy: The Czech national Bank Perspective"
- IMF forecasts can be found here: IMF World Economic Outlook, World Bank forecasts are here World Bank Global Economic Prospects, and OECD forecasts here: OECD Economic Outlook
- Two of the leading journals in the field of economic forecasting are the Journal of Forecasting and the International Journal of Forecasting
- For a comprehensive but quite technical compendium, see Handbook of Economic Forecasting, North-Holland: Elsevier, 2006
- A more compact and more accessible, but pre-crisis overview is provided in Elements of Forecasting, 4th edn, Cincinnati, OH: South-Western College Publishing, 2007
- A recent, comprehensive and accessible guide to forecasting is Economic Forecasting and Policy, 2d edn, Palgrave, 2011