{"title":"The macroeconomy as a random forest","authors":"Philippe Goulet Coulombe","doi":"10.1002/jae.3030","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>I develop the <i>macroeconomic random forest</i> (MRF), an algorithm adapting the canonical machine learning (ML) tool, to flexibly model evolving parameters in a linear macro equation. Its main output, <i>generalized</i> time-varying parameters (GTVPs), is a versatile device nesting many popular nonlinearities (threshold/switching, smooth transition, and structural breaks/change) and allowing for sophisticated new ones. The approach delivers clear forecasting gains over numerous alternatives, predicts the 2008 drastic rise in unemployment, and performs well for inflation. Unlike most ML-based methods, MRF is directly interpretable—via its GTVPs. For instance, the successful unemployment forecast is due to the influence of forward-looking variables (e.g., term spreads and housing starts) nearly doubling before every recession. Interestingly, the Phillips curve has indeed flattened, <i>and</i> its might is highly cyclical.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":48363,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Econometrics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Applied Econometrics","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jae.3030","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
I develop the macroeconomic random forest (MRF), an algorithm adapting the canonical machine learning (ML) tool, to flexibly model evolving parameters in a linear macro equation. Its main output, generalized time-varying parameters (GTVPs), is a versatile device nesting many popular nonlinearities (threshold/switching, smooth transition, and structural breaks/change) and allowing for sophisticated new ones. The approach delivers clear forecasting gains over numerous alternatives, predicts the 2008 drastic rise in unemployment, and performs well for inflation. Unlike most ML-based methods, MRF is directly interpretable—via its GTVPs. For instance, the successful unemployment forecast is due to the influence of forward-looking variables (e.g., term spreads and housing starts) nearly doubling before every recession. Interestingly, the Phillips curve has indeed flattened, and its might is highly cyclical.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Applied Econometrics is an international journal published bi-monthly, plus 1 additional issue (total 7 issues). It aims to publish articles of high quality dealing with the application of existing as well as new econometric techniques to a wide variety of problems in economics and related subjects, covering topics in measurement, estimation, testing, forecasting, and policy analysis. The emphasis is on the careful and rigorous application of econometric techniques and the appropriate interpretation of the results. The economic content of the articles is stressed. A special feature of the Journal is its emphasis on the replicability of results by other researchers. To achieve this aim, authors are expected to make available a complete set of the data used as well as any specialised computer programs employed through a readily accessible medium, preferably in a machine-readable form. The use of microcomputers in applied research and transferability of data is emphasised. The Journal also features occasional sections of short papers re-evaluating previously published papers. The intention of the Journal of Applied Econometrics is to provide an outlet for innovative, quantitative research in economics which cuts across areas of specialisation, involves transferable techniques, and is easily replicable by other researchers. Contributions that introduce statistical methods that are applicable to a variety of economic problems are actively encouraged. The Journal also aims to publish review and survey articles that make recent developments in the field of theoretical and applied econometrics more readily accessible to applied economists in general.
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