We develop a generalized dynamic factor model for panel data with the goal of estimating an unobserved index. While similar models have been developed in the literature of dynamic factor analysis, our contribution is threefold. First, contrary to simple dynamic factor analysis where multiple...

In order to provide medium run forecasts of headline and core HICP inflation for the euro area, we assess the usefulness of dynamic factor models. We use Stock and Watson's (1999) out-of-sample methodology for models estimated over the 1988:1-2002:3 period, with balanced and unbalanced panels....

In order to provide short run forecasts of headline and core HICP inflation for France, we assess the forecasting performance of a large set of economic indicators, individually and jointly, as well as using dynamic factor models. We run out-of-sample forecasts implementing the Stock and Watson...

This Paper proposes a new forecasting method that exploits information from a large panel of time series. The method is based on the generalized dynamic factor model proposed in Forni, Hallin, Lippi, and Reichlin (2000), and takes advantage of the information on the dynamic covariance structure...

This paper analyzes identification conditions, and proposes an estimator, for a dynamic factor model where the idiosyncratic components are allowed to be mutually non-orthogonal. This model, which we call the generalized dynamic factor model, is novel to the literature, and generalizes the...

ABSTRACT. We use a dynamic factor model proposed by Stock and Watson [1998, 1999,2002a,b] to forecast Colombian inflation. The model includes 92 monthly series observedover the period 1999:01-2008:06. The results show that for short-run horizons, factor modelforecasts significantly outperformed...

The Paper uses a large data set, consisting of 447 monthly macroeconomic time series concerning the main countries of the Euro area to simulate out-of-sample predictions of the Euro area industrial production and the harmonized inflation index and to evaluate the role of financial variables in...

This paper proposes a new way to compute a coincident and a leading index of economic activity. The method provides a unified approach for the selection of the coincident and the leading variables, for averaging them into coincident and leading indexes and for the identification of turning...

In this paper, the dynamic common factors method of Forni et al. (2000) is applied to a large panel of economic time series on the Estonian economy. In order to improve forecasting of economic activity in Estonia, we derive a leading indicator composed of the common components of twelve series,...