Incorporating Economic Policy Uncertainty in US Equity Premium Models: a Nonlinear Predictability Analysis

Information on economic policy uncertainty does matter in predicting the US equity premium, especially when accounting for structural instabilities and omitted nonlinearities in their relationship, via a quantile predictive regression approach over the monthly period 1900:1–2014:2. Unlike as suggested by a linear mean-based predictive model, the extended quantile regression model with the incorporation of the EPU proxy, enhances significantly the out-of-sample stock return predictability. This is observed especially when the market is neutral, exhibits a slide or mildly upward trending behavior, yet not when the market appears to turn highly bullish.