This Paper considers forecasting by econometric and time series models using preliminary (or provisional) data. The standard practice is to ignore the distinction between provisional and final data. We call the forecasts that ignore such a distinction naïve forecasts, which are generated as...

Multivariate unobserved components (structural) time series models are fitted to annual post-war observations on real income per capita in countries in the euro zone. The aim is to establish stylized facts about convergence as it relates both to long-run income levels and to cycles. The analysis...