This paper examines the role of external shocks in explaining macroeconomic fluctuations in African countries. We construct a quantitative, stochastic, dynamic, multi-sector equilibrium model of a small open economy calibrated to represent a "typical" African economy. In our framework, external shocks consist of trade shocks, modeled as fluctuations in the prices of exported primary commodities...

In this paper we propose a relatively simple procedure to predict Euro-zone industrial production using mostly data derived from the business surveys of the three major economies within the European Monetary Union (France, Germany, and Italy). The basic idea is that of estimating business cyclical indicators to be used as predictors for the industrial production in France and Germany; as far as...

We examine business cycle synchronizations between the euro area and the new and candidate countries of the EU. We utilize a bivariate VAR-GARCH specification with a smoothly time-varying correlation that allows for structural changes in the degree of co-movement between the cyclical components of monthly industrial production. After the application of a Lagrange Multiplier statistic that tests...

The paper develops a model in which both long–run growth rates and credit market development are endogenous. Agents facing idiosyncratic productivity shocks cannot perfectly commit to repay their loans, but the threat of credit market exclusion specifies endogenous debt limits preventing default in equilibrium. A growth push makes credit market participation more valuable and relaxes debt limit...

We incorporate long-term defaultable corporate bonds and credit risk in a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium business cycle model. Credit risk amplifies aggregate technology shocks. The debt-capital ratio is a new state variable and its endogenous movements provide a propagation mechanism. The model can match the persistence and volatility of output growth as well as the mean equity premium...

This paper estimates a Structural Dynamic Factor Model on a panel of 102 US quarterly series. We model economic comovements by means of 5 underlying structural shocks (oil price, productivity, aggregate demand, monetary policy, and housing demand). The results of the benchmark model (impulse responses and variance decompositions) are in line with those predicted by economic theory and usually e...

We study the dynamic general equilibrium of an economy where risk averse shareholders delegate the management of the firm to risk averse managers. The optimal contract has two main components: an incentive component corresponding to a non-tradable equity position and a variable “salary” component indexed to the aggregate wage bill and to aggregate dividends. Tying a manager’s compensation to th...

This paper incorporates limited asset markets participation in dynamic general equilibrium and develops a simple analytical framework for monetary policy analysis. Aggregate dynamics and stability properties of an otherwise standard business cycle model depend nonlinearly on the degree of asset market participation. While ‘moderate’ participation rates strengthen the role of monetary policy, lo...

This paper studies wage setting in a directed search model of multiworker firms facing within-firm equity constraints on wages. The reduce wages, as exploit their monopsony power over existing workers, rendering wages less responsive to productivity doing so. They also give rise time inconsistency the dynamic firm problem, face elastic labor supply short run than long run, making commitment fut...

This paper asks how well a general equilibrium agency cost model describes the dynamic relationship between credit variables and the business cycle. A Bayesian VAR is used to obtain probability intervals for empirical correlations. The agency cost model is found to predict the leading, countercyclical correlation of spreads with output when shocks arising from the credit market contribute to ou...