The Consumption Euler Equation or the Keynesian Consumption Function?

B-Tier
Journal: Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2021
Volume: 83
Issue: 1
Pages: 252-272

Authors (4)

Pål Boug (not in RePEc) Ådne Cappelen (Government of Norway) Eilev S. Jansen (Government of Norway) Anders Rygh Swensen (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

We formulate a general cointegrated vector autoregressive (CVAR) model that nests both a class of consumption Euler equations and various Keynesian‐type consumption functions. Using likelihood‐based methods and Norwegian data, we find support for cointegration between consumption, income and wealth once a structural break around the time of the financial crisis is allowed for. The fact that consumption cointegrates with both income and wealth and not only with income points to the empirical irrelevance of an Euler equation. Moreover, we find that consumption equilibrium corrects to changes in income and wealth, but not that income equilibrium corrects to changes in consumption, which would follow from an Euler equation. We also find that most of the parameters stemming from the class of Euler equations are not corroborated by the data when conditional expectations of future consumption and income in CVAR models are considered. Only habit formation seems important in explaining Norwegian consumer behaviour. Our estimated conditional Keynesian‐type consumption function implies a first year marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of income of close to 40%.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:obuest:v:83:y:2021:i:1:p:252-272
Journal Field
General
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25