Relative Demand Shocks

39 Pages Posted: 18 Jun 2008

See all articles by Francesco Busato

Francesco Busato

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences

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Date Written: October 29, 2004

Abstract

This paper introduces the concept of relative demand shocks into a multi-sector dynamic general equilibrium model. Relative demand shocks change the instantaneous structure of preferences. Under relative demand shocks consumer tastes randomly shift across different commodities, as manifested by unexpected relative increases or decreases in the marginal utility of the various consumption goods. There are no exogenous technology (productivity) shocks in the model. There are three main results. First, the model proposes an original heoretical mechanism for generating aggregate fluctuations and sectoral comovement by using inter-sectoral and idiosyncratic shocks. This mechanism is complementary to the standard Real Business Cycle theory. Second, the model is effectively able to reproduce the main stylized facts of the U.S. economy, also those that the standard Real Business Cycle model fails to explain. Third, the model generates a false Solow Residual, even though there is no technological progress in the model. Its size and time series properties are analogous to the actual Solow Residual.

Keywords: Demand Shocks, Two-sector Dynamic General Equilibrium Models

JEL Classification: F11, E320

Suggested Citation

Busato, Francesco, Relative Demand Shocks (October 29, 2004). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1147578 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1147578

Francesco Busato (Contact Author)

Aarhus University - School of Business and Social Sciences ( email )

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