Forecasting multivariate time series with linear restrictions using constrained structural state-space models

This paper presents a methodology for modelling and forecasting multivariate time series with linear restrictions using the constrained structural state-space framework. The model has natural applications to forecasting time series of macroeconomic/financial identities and accounts. The explicit modelling of the constraints ensures that model parameters dynamically satisfy the restrictions among items of the series, leading to more accurate and internally consistent forecasts. It is shown that the constrained model offers superior forecasting efficiency. A testable identification condition for state space models is also obtained and applied to establish the identifiability of the constrained model. The proposed methods are illustrated on Germany's quarterly monetary accounts data. Results show significant improvement in the predictive efficiency of forecast estimators for the monetary account with an overall efficiency gain of 25% over unconstrained modelling. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.