Economic activities, dry bulk freight, and economic policy uncertainties as drivers of oil prices: A tail-behaviour time-varying causality perspective

Abstract

This paper examines the dynamic impact of economic activity, Baltic dry bulk and economic policy uncertainty on oil prices. Drawing on demand-side economic theory, we focus on how economic activity and economic policy uncertainty drive oil prices and subsequently contribute to the formation of market equilibrium. In this context, we first introduce a unidirectional quantile and time-varying Granger-causality mechanism for the drivers of oil prices. Our novel rolling window quantile Granger causality approach reveals that economic activity drives crude oil price fluctuations and highlights their important role in market imbalances. In particular, economic activity and the Baltic exchange rate index emerge as essential drivers of oil prices, confirming our hypothesis of a demand-side effect. Moreover, our robustness wavelet quantile correlation (WQC) analyses reveal that economic activity promotes oil price fluctuations along both long-term equilibrium trends and short-term dynamics. In contrast, economic policy uncertainty has a dampening effect on oil prices. More broadly, economic activity is positively correlated with the Baltic exchange dry index, highlighting its broader impact on global trade indicators. Moreover, we use a bivariate Quantile on Quantile regression method to identify the equilibrium searches of different thresholds and estimate the robustness of the validity of the WQC findings. Analyzing the quantile and frequency connectedness spillovers, we observe that shocks from economic activity are particularly pronounced in the tail quantiles, reinforcing the demand-side narrative. Overall, the increased risk in extreme tails underscores the increased interaction between economic activity, oil prices and economic policy uncertainties. Our findings have important implications for policymakers and highlight the need for adaptive strategies to manage potential oil price shocks. Thus, by adopting a demand-side perspective, policymakers can better anticipate and respond to oil price fluctuations, promoting more resilient economic policies.