Oil and the G7 business cycle : Friedman's Plucking Markov Switching Approach

To analyze whether oil price can account for the business cycle asymmetries in the G7, this paper adopts the Friedman’s Plucking Markov Switching Model to decompose G7 real GDPs into common permanent components, common transitory components, infrequent Markov Switching negative shock and domestic idiosyncratic components. The findings show that Hamilton’s 3 year net oil price increases account for 1973-75, 1980, partially 1990-1991 recessions and LNR oil price increases account for 1973-75, 1980, partially 1960, partially 1970, partially 1990-1991 recessions. These results indicate that oil price shocks have not been a principal determinant of common recessions in the G7 except two major OPEC oil price increases in 1973-1974, 1979-1980