| This dissertation comprises three essays in macroeconomic forecasting. The first essay discusses model selection and predictive accuracy tests in the context of parameter and model uncertainty under recursive and rolling estimation schemes. Particular emphasis is placed on the construction of valid bootstrap procedures for calculating the impact of parameter estimation error on the class of test statistics with limiting distributions that are functionals of Gaussian processes. Results of an empirical investigation of the marginal predictive content of money for income are also presented.;The second essay outlines a number of approaches to the selection of factor proxies (observed variables that proxy unobserved estimated factors) using statistics based on large sample datasets. This approach to factor proxy selection is examined via a small Monte Carlo experiment and a set of prediction experiments, where evidence supporting our proposed methodology is presented.;The third essay compares the predictive content of a set of macroeconomic indicators with that of various other observable variables that act as proxies to factors constructed using diffusion index methodology. The analysis suggests that certain spreads constructed as the difference between short or long term debt instruments and the federal funds rate are found to be useful indicators. Surprisingly, traditional spreads, such as the yield curve slope and the reverse yield gap are not found to provide additional predictive power. |
