Discussion paper

DP19965 Bayesian Nowcasting with Mixed Frequency Data Using Gaussian Processes

We develop Bayesian machine learning methods for mixed data sampling (MIDAS) regressions. This involves handling frequency mismatches and specifying functional relationships between many predictors and the dependent variable. We use Gaussian processes (GPs) and compress the input space with structured and unstructured MI-DAS variants. This yields several versions of GP-MIDAS with distinct properties and implications, which we evaluate in short-horizon now- and forecasting exercises with both simulated data and data on quarterly US output growth and inflation in the GDP deflator. Our proposed framework leverages macroeconomic Big Data in a computationally efficient way and offers gains in predictive accuracy along several dimensions.

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Citation

Hauzenberger , N, M Marcellino, M Pfarrhofer and A Stelzer (2025), ‘DP19965 Bayesian Nowcasting with Mixed Frequency Data Using Gaussian Processes‘, CEPR Discussion Paper No. 19965. CEPR Press, Paris & London. https://cepr.org/publications/dp19965