We use a Panel Smooth Transition Regression (STR) model to study nonlinearities in the expectationformation process in the US stock market. To this end, we use data from the Livingston survey to investigate how the importance of regressive and extrapolative expectations fluctuates over time as...

We use a quantile-boosting approach to compute out-of-sample forecasts of gold returns. The approach accounts for model uncertainty and model instability, and it allows forecasts to be computed under asymmetric loss functions. Different asymmetric loss functions represent different types of...

We use Bayesian additive regression trees to reexamine the efficiency of growth and inflation forecasts for Germany. To this end, we use forecasts of four leading German economic research institutes for the sample period from 1970 to 2016. We reject the strong form of forecasts efficiency and...

We study the predictability of stock returns using an iterative model-building approach known as quantile boosting. Examining alternative return quantiles that represent normal, bull and bear markets via recursive quantile regressions, we trace the predictive value of extensively studied...

We use a machine-learning algorithm known as boosted regression trees (BRT) to implement an orthogonality test of the rationality of aggregate stock-market forecasts. The BRT algorithm endogenously selects the predictor variables used to proxy the information set of forecasters so as to maximize...

We report results on the ex ante predictability of monthly excess stock returns in Germany using real-time and revised macroeconomic data. Our real-time macroeconomic data cover the period 1994-2005. We report three results. 1) Real-time macroeconomic data did not contribute much to ex ante...

We use a Panel Smooth Transition Regression (STR) model to study nonlinearities in the expectation-formation process in the U.S. stock market. To this end, we use data from the Livingston survey to investigate how the importance of regressive and extrapolative expectations fluctuates over time...