This paper assesses the time series properties of rational expectations models with news shocks. We show that news shocks allows to substantially improve the dynamic behavior of such models in generating higher persistence. We also warn the use of SVAR models to uncover news shocks.

Standard business cycle models face difficulties generating (i) government spending multipliers exceeding unity and (ii) stabilizing effects of government size. Using a simple model with externality in labor supply, we show that a sufficient degree of complementarity between aggregate and...