In this paper we test the forecasting ability of three estimated financial conditions indices (FCIs) with respect to key macroeconomic variables of output growth, inflation and interest rates. We do this by forecasting the aforementioned macroeconomic variables based on the information contained...

The negative consequences of financial instability for the world economy during the recent financial crisis have highlighted the need for a better understanding of financial conditions. We use a financial conditions index (FCI) for South Africa previously constructed from 16 financial variables...

This paper makes two contributions to the growing literature on the military expenditureeconomic growth nexus. It provides a case study of a developing country, South Africa, and considers the possibilities of structural breaks in the relationship, applying newly developed econometric methods....

This paper revisits the causality relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth in South Africa for the period 1971-2009 using annual data and takes into consideration time variation in causal relationships using bootstrap rolling Granger non-causality tests. Full-sample...

The paper examines the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth for South Africa for the period 1971-2009. Most studies examining this relationship do assume that it remains constant through the years; however the reality might be different since many factors can affect the...

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal relationship between knowledge (research output) and economic growth in US over 1981 to 2011. To overcome the issues of ignoring possible instability and hence, falsely assuming a constant relationship through the years, we use...

This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of the theoretical and empirical developments that have taken place over the last two decades in an attempt to address the exchange rate puzzles. Specifically, we discuss non-linear and Bayesian econometric techniques, Dynamic General...

The market microstructure approach has been applied to the three major puzzles of exchange rate economics: the forward bias puzzle, the excess volatility puzzle, and the exchange rate determination puzzle. It claims that the imbalances between ‘buyer-initiated and seller-initiated trades’ in...

This paper analyses the intertemporal hedging demand for stocks and bonds in South Africa (SA), the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). The analysis is done using an approximate solution method for the optimal consumption and wealth portfolio problem of an infinitely long-lived...

The global financial crisis that began in 2007-08 demonstrated how severe the impact of financial markets’ stress on real economic activity can be. In the wake of the financial crisis policy-makers and decision-makers across the world identified the critical need for a better understanding of...