Working Paper

A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Empirical Macro Models


Abstract: This paper describes a package which uses MATLAB functions and routines to estimate VARs, local projections and other models with classical or Bayesian methods. The toolbox allows a researcher to conduct inference under various prior assumptions on the parameters, to produce point and density forecasts, to measure spillovers and to trace out the causal effect of shocks using a number of identification schemes. The toolbox is equipped to handle missing observations, mixed frequencies and time series with large cross-section information (e.g. panels of VAR and FAVAR). It also contains a number of routines to extract cyclical information and to date business cycles. We describe the methodology employed and implementation of the functions with a number of practical examples.

Keywords: VARs; Local Projections; Bayesian Inference; Identification; Forecasts; Missing Values; Filters and Cycles; MATLAB;

JEL Classification: E52; E32; C10;

https://doi.org/10.21033/wp-2021-15

Access Documents

File(s): File format is application/pdf https://www.chicagofed.org/~/media/publications/working-papers/2021/wp2021-15-pdf.pdf
Description: full text

Authors

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Part of Series: Working Paper Series

Publication Date: 2021-09-04

Number: WP-2021-15

Related Works