Growth and imbalances in Spain: a reassessment of the output gap (original) (raw)

Fiscal Policy, Structural Reforms and External Imbalances: A Quantitative Evaluation for Spain

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

This paper builds a large overlapping generations model of a small open economy featuring imperfect competition in the labor and product markets to understand i) which were the main determinants of the large expansionary phase experienced in Spain from the mid-1990s until the arrival of the global financial crisis in 2007-2008, ii) what role fiscal policy and structural reforms could have played to avoid the build-up of large external imbalance over this period, and iii) how these policies could affect the recovery of economic activity in Spain after the crisis. Our results indicate that falling interest rates and demographic changes were the main drivers of the Spanish expansionary phase and that, over this period, a tighter fiscal policy or structural reforms designed to foster competition in the labor and product markets could have not avoided the build-up of a large external imbalance. As for the macroeconomic behavior of the Spanish economy after the crisis our model highlights the trade-off faced by tighter fiscal policies: they may reduce the output losses induced by the crisis in the medium-term but at the expense of a mild output loss in the years immediately after the crisis. Instead, structural reforms do not face this trade-off and they may contribute to reduce output losses in the short-and medium-term, while inducing a positive long-run effect on the level of output.

An Estimate of the Potential Growth of the Spanish Economy

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011

This paper seeks to estimate the potential output of the Spanish economy, using the production function methodology standard in the literature. According to these estimates, the growth of the potential output of the Spanish economy stood at around 3% in the period 2000-2007, owing to the marked increase in the population and in the participation rate and the fall in structural unemployment, as well as vigorous capital accumulation. The contribution of these factors to potential output was reduced by the negative evolution of total factor productivity. In addition, the economic crisis is estimated to have had a significant negative impact on potential output, which has primarily taken the form of a large increase in structural unemployment, a sharp slowdown in population growth, as a consequence of the loss of momentum in immigrant inflows, and a reduction in the contribution of the capital stock resulting from the impact of the crisis on investment. As a result, the potential growth of the Spanish economy stands at around 1% during the crisis years and in the years immediately thereafter, insofar as some of these negative effects take place with a certain time lag. Lastly, in the medium term, the potential output of the economy is estimated to recover progressively, once the effects of the crisis have disappeared, reaching growth rates about 2%, against a background of negative rates of change in the population of age 16-64, a smooth improvement in the NAIRU, a slight recovery in investment and a higher contribution from TFP. The application of a strong process of structural reforms could, however, significantly improve the growth prospects of our economy.

Potential Growth and Business Cycle in the Spanish Economy: Implications for Fiscal Policy!

2007

An accurately estimation of the cyclical position of an economy is a necessary condition for the success of fiscal stabilisation policies. In this paper we show that the estimation of the output gap by means of decomposing a production function produces similar results to univariate and multivariate methods, increasing their robustness and allowing us to conclude that most of the information on the economic cycle is included in the cyclical component of the unemployment rate. The results also indicate that there is reduced uncertainty about the periods when the Spanish economy has clearly been in a deep recession or in a sharp expansion. These periods have been limited and of relatively short duration. Fiscal policy should pay particular attention to these episodes, when discretionary stabilisation policies make most sense.

Update of the Quarterly Model of the Bank of Spain

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

This paper presents the update of the macroeconometric model used at the Bank of Spain for medium term macroeconomic forecasting of the Spanish economy, as well as for performing policy simulations. The many changes that the Spanish economy has experimented in the last years, and the new system of national accounts published by the national statistical office, suggested that a reestimation of the model was due. This paper presents such reestimation with newer data (up to the end of 2005), and includes some modifications that were deemed necessary in certain equations.

Imbalances and Rebalancing in an Estimated Structural Model for Spain

International Journal of Central Banking

This paper uses an estimated DSGE model to analyse the factors behind the build-up of imbalances in the Spanish economy. Shock decompositions suggest that external imbalances have been able to build up mainly due to the reduction in real interest rates and easier access to credit following the elimination of the exchange rate risk premium. While the reduction in external imbalances has started in the recent period, projections of the estimated model indicate that faster correction to these imbalances will require an adjustment in domestic demand and a significant improvement in the trade balance in the coming years. The correction would be eased in a more favourable and less risk-averse environment.

A general equilibrium assessment of external and domestic shocks in Spain

Economic Modelling, 2012

After many years of growth, the Spanish economy plunged into the most severe and prolonged recession recorded since reliable national accounts data have been available. The main goal of this paper is to quantify the effects of the external and domestic shocks that hit the Spanish economy in 2008-2009 by employing a disaggregated general equilibrium model calibrated to a 2000 SAM elaborated by the authors. External shocks are simulated by employing the neoclassical closure (private investment is determined by domestic and external savings) and the Keynesian closure (investment is exogenous). External and domestic shocks are also jointly simulated with the Keynesian closure. The results provide a good approximation to observed changes in key macroeconomic variables.