The uncertainty multiplier and business cycles

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control
Year: 2017
Volume: 78
Issue: C
Pages: 1-25

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

I study a business cycle model where agents learn about the fundamentals by accumulating capital. During recessions, agents invest less, and this generates noisier estimates of macroeconomic conditions and an increase in uncertainty. The endogenous increase in aggregate uncertainty further reduces economic activity and thus gives rise to a multiplier effect that amplifies aggregate fluctuations. To discipline learning dynamics, I parametrize the model so that it matches not only standard business cycle moments but also survey data on macroeconomic forecasts. I find that the uncertainty multiplier amplifies output standard deviation by 16%.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:dyncon:v:78:y:2017:i:c:p:1-25
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29