Impact factors

In this paper we discuss sensitivity of forecasts with respect to the information set considered in prediction; a sensitivity measure called impact factor, IF, is defined. This notion is specialized to the case of VAR processes integrated of order 0, 1 and 2. For stationary VARs this measure corresponds to the sum of the impulse response coefficients. For integrated VAR systems, the IF has a direct interpretation in terms of long-run forecasts. Various applications of this concept are reviewed; they include questions of policy effectiveness and of forecast uncertainty due to data revisions. A unified approach to inference on the IF is given, showing under what circumstances standard asymptotic inference can be conducted also in systems integrated of order 1 and 2. It is shown how the results reported here can be used to calculate similar sensitivity measures for models with a simultaneity structure. r 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classification: C53; C32; C52