Zusammenfassung
We construct a new Markov-switching unobserved components framework for analysing hysteresis effects, featuring trend-cycle decomposition, identification of spillovers between the components and asymmetry over the business cycle. The decades-long upward trend in German unemployment is fully explained by hysteresis. The Great Recession was well absorbed because both hysteresis and structural ...
Zusammenfassung
We construct a new Markov-switching unobserved components framework for analysing hysteresis effects, featuring trend-cycle decomposition, identification of spillovers between the components and asymmetry over the business cycle. The decades-long upward trend in German unemployment is fully explained by hysteresis. The Great Recession was well absorbed because both hysteresis and structural unemployment were substantially reduced after institutional reforms. In contrast, U.S. unemployment was not driven by hysteresis effects. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.