There is now an impetus to apply dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models to forecasting. But thesemodels typically rely on purpose-built data, for example on tradable and nontradable sector outputs.How then do we know that the model will forecast well, in advance? We develop an early...

The sudden collapse of oil prices poses a challenge to inflation targeting central banks in oil exporting economies. This paper illustrates that challenge and conducts a quantitative assessment of the impact of permanent changes in oil prices in a small and open economy, in which oil represents...

Despite various payment innovations, today, cash is still heavily used to pay for low-value purchases. This paper develops a simulation model to test whether standard implications of the theory on cash management and payment choices can explain the use of payment instruments by transaction size....

Este documento analiza la eficiencia (técnica, de escala, de costos y asignativa) del sistema bancario colombiano entre 2000-2012, utilizando la metodología DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis). Ésta se basa en funciones de producción individuales de las entidades que componen el sistema,...

If theory-consistent models can ever hope to forecast well and to be useful for policy, theyhave to relate to data which though rich in information is uncertain, unbalanced and sometimes forecastsfrom external sources about the future path of other variables. One example from many is financial...

En este artículo se propone un método numérico para la calibración de un modelode equilibrio general dinámico y estocástico (DSGE). Esencialmente, éste consisteen utilizar un algoritmo híbrido de optimización, primero para encontrar un estadoestacionario del modelo, y luego para...

Despite foreign reserves´ strategic asset allocation relies mainly on Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), the unique characteristics of central banks obliges them to articulate and reconcile typical optimization procedures with reserves´ management objectives such as providing confidence regarding...

This paper reviews the relationship between the business cycle and public finances in Colombia. The evidence shows that cyclical movements in output systematically affect the situation of public finances. Hence, the distinction between the cyclical and permanent (i.e. structural) components of...

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...

En este trabajo se proponen fechas precisas para los ciclos de negocios ocurridos entre 1980 y 2007 a la vez que se identifican las fases de auge y recesión. Para ello, se utiliza la metodología de Bry y Boschan (1971). Adicionalmente, se identifican algunos hechos estilizados un año antes de...