Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
We propose a model for analyzing euro-area trade based on the interaction between macroeconomic and trade variables. First, we show that macroeconomic variables are necessary to generate accurate short-term trade forecasts; this result can be explained by the high correlation between trade and macroeconomic variables, with the latter being released in a more timely manner. Second, the model tracks well the dynamics of trade variables conditional on the path of macroeconomic variables during the Great Recession; this result makes our model a reliable tool for scenario analysis.