One of the goals of stabilization policy is to reduce the output gap—the difference between potential and actual output—during downturns. Potential output, however, is an unobserved variable whose definition can vary. For example, some view potential output as the level of output...

We consider the effects of uncertainty shocks in a nonlinear VAR that allows uncertainty to have amplification effects. When uncertainty is relatively low, fluctuations in uncertainty have small, linear effects. In periods of high uncertainty, the effect of a further increase in uncertainty is...

The modern model of central bank communication suggests that central bankers prefer to err on the side of saying too much rather than too little. The reason is that most central bankers believe that clear and concise communication of monetary policy helps achieve their goals. For the Federal...