Using Bayesian estimation techniques, we estimate a small open economyDSGE model with credit-market imperfections for the Colombian economy. Us-ing the estimated model we investigate what are the sources of business cycle°uctuations. We show that balance-sheet e®ects play an important role in...

Colombia experienced a deep recession in 1999-2003. Growth slowed by 4.2%,and investment by 34.6%. Was the severity of the recession due to a ¯nan-cial accelerator mechanism µa la Bernanke, Gertler, and Gilchrist (1999)? Toanswer this question, this paper estimates a dynamic stochastic general...