The Social Value of Information: A Test of a Beauty and Non-Beauty Contest

Thomas Lustenberger and Enzo Rossi

No 2017-17, Working Papers from Swiss National Bank

Abstract: We develop and apply a procedure to test the welfare implications of a beauty and non-beauty contest based on survey forecasts of interest rates and yields in a large country sample over an extended period of time. In most countries, interest-rate forecasts are unbiased and consistent with both models, but are rarely supported by yield forecasts. In half of the countries, a higher precision of public information regarding interest rates increases welfare. During forward guidance, public information is less precise than private information.

Keywords: Value of information; beauty contest; interest rate forecasts; bond yield forecasts; strategic forecasts; central bank transparency; forward guidance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D8 E43 E52 E58 G1 G29 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 64 pages
Date: 2017
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mac
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Social Value of Information: A Test of a Beauty and Nonbeauty Contest (2022)
Working Paper: The Social Value of Information: A Test of a Beauty and Non-Beauty Contest (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:snb:snbwpa:2017-17

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