International Business Cycles: World, Region, and Country-Specific Factors

31 Pages Posted: 25 Apr 2000

See all articles by M. Ayhan Kose

M. Ayhan Kose

World Bank; Brookings Institution; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Australian National University (ANU)

Chris Otrok

University of Missouri; Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Charles H. Whiteman

Pennsylvania State University - Smeal College of Business

Abstract

The paper investigates the common dynamic properties of business cycle fluctuations across countries, regions and the world. We employ a Bayesian dynamic latent factor model to estimate common components in main macroeconomic aggregates (output, consumption and investment) in a sixty-country sample covering seven regions of the world. In particular, we simultaneously estimate (i) a dynamic factor common to all aggregates/regions/countries (the world factor); (ii) a set of 7 regional dynamic factors common across aggregates within a region; (iii) 60 country factors to capture dynamic comovement across aggregates within each country; (iv) and a component for each aggregate that captures idiosyncratic dynamics. We decompose the volatility in each aggregate into the fraction due to the world, region, country, and idiosyncratic components. The results indicate that the world factor is an important source of volatility for aggregates in most countries, providing evidence for a world business cycle. We find that the region-specific factor plays only a minor role in explaining fluctuations in economic activity. While the world and regional factors together account for a larger share of fluctuations in output than in consumption, the country factor along with the idiosyncratic factor play a much larger role in explaining investment dynamics. We also compare and contrast how the three aggregates in each country relate to the world, region and country factors, and document similarities and differences across regions, countries and aggregates. We link the empirical results to the economic structure of the countries in the sample.

JEL Classification: E32, F42

Suggested Citation

Kose, M. Ayhan and Otrok, Christopher and Whiteman, Charles H., International Business Cycles: World, Region, and Country-Specific Factors. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=223597 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.223597

M. Ayhan Kose (Contact Author)

World Bank ( email )

1818 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20433
United States

Brookings Institution ( email )

1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036
United States

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

Australian National University (ANU) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601
Australia

Christopher Otrok

University of Missouri ( email )

118 Professional Building
Columbia, MO 65211
United States

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis ( email )

411 Locust St
Saint Louis, MO 63011
United States

Charles H. Whiteman

Pennsylvania State University - Smeal College of Business

University Park, PA 16802
United States
814-863-0448 (Phone)

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