A monthly consumption indicator for Germany based on Internet search query data
This study introduces a monthly coincident indicator for consumption in Germany based on Google Trends data on web search activity. In real-time nowcasting experiments the indicator outperforms common survey-based indicators in predicting consumption. Unlike those indicators, it provides predictive information beyond that already captured in other macroeconomic variables.
Vosen, S. und T. Schmidt (2012), A monthly consumption indicator for Germany based on Internet search query data. Applied Economics Letters , 19, 7, 683-687