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A re-examination of the excess smoothness puzzle when consumers estimate the income process

A re-examination of the excess smoothness puzzle when consumers estimate the income process
A re-examination of the excess smoothness puzzle when consumers estimate the income process
The excess smoothness puzzle is explored using a simple version of the permanent income hypothesis. The new feature is that consumers do not know the observed data-generating process for income. Instead they estimate the income process every period using the past income data and update their income forecasts as new data arrive. Two scenarios are examined: first, where the income has a linear deterministic trend and second, where the income has a constant trend. There is a misspecification bias in the estimate of the marginal propensity to consume (MPC). This bias is of second-order importance in the first scenario while it is of first-order importance in the second. We conclude that the second scenario, which may be relevant for less developed countries, may offer a potential solution to the excess smoothness puzzle.
sensitivity, consumption, excess smoothness forecast
0277-6693
357-366
Banerjee, Anurag N.
4f772e58-24c0-4266-ba41-18f70a6108c4
Basu, Parantap
a6bfc9e0-1dce-4a3a-a35d-281720e9426a
Banerjee, Anurag N.
4f772e58-24c0-4266-ba41-18f70a6108c4
Basu, Parantap
a6bfc9e0-1dce-4a3a-a35d-281720e9426a

Banerjee, Anurag N. and Basu, Parantap (2001) A re-examination of the excess smoothness puzzle when consumers estimate the income process. Journal of Forecasting, 20 (5), 357-366. (doi:10.1002/for.796).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The excess smoothness puzzle is explored using a simple version of the permanent income hypothesis. The new feature is that consumers do not know the observed data-generating process for income. Instead they estimate the income process every period using the past income data and update their income forecasts as new data arrive. Two scenarios are examined: first, where the income has a linear deterministic trend and second, where the income has a constant trend. There is a misspecification bias in the estimate of the marginal propensity to consume (MPC). This bias is of second-order importance in the first scenario while it is of first-order importance in the second. We conclude that the second scenario, which may be relevant for less developed countries, may offer a potential solution to the excess smoothness puzzle.

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Published date: 2001
Keywords: sensitivity, consumption, excess smoothness forecast

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 32928
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/32928
ISSN: 0277-6693
PURE UUID: 735aed66-b64d-4b11-958c-272e2c548515

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Date deposited: 15 May 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:40

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Contributors

Author: Anurag N. Banerjee
Author: Parantap Basu

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