Nowcasting made easier: A toolbox for economists

We provide a versatile nowcasting toolbox that supports three model classes (dynamic factor models, large Bayesian VAR, bridge equations) and offers methods to manage data selection and adjust for Covid-19 observations. The toolbox aims at simplifying two key tasks: creating new nowcasting models and improving the policy analysis. For model creation, the toolbox automatizes testing input variables, assessing model accuracy, and checking robustness to the Covid period. The toolbox is organized along a structured three-step approach: variable pre-selection, model selection, and Covid robustness. Non-specialists can easily follow these steps to develop high-performing models, while experts can leverage the automated tests and analyses. For regular policy use, the toolbox generates a large range of outputs to aid conjunctural analysis like news decomposition, confidence bands, alternative forecasts, and heatmaps. These multiple outputs aim at opening the "black box" often associated with nowcasts and at gauging the reliability of real-time predictions. We showcase the toolbox features to create a nowcasting model for global GDP growth. Overall, the toolbox aims at facilitating creation, evaluation, and deployment of nowcasting models. Code and templates are available on GitHub: https://github.com/baptiste-meunier/Nowcasting_toolbox.