Small business failures in Europe would have doubled without pandemic relief, analysis finds

Small business failures in Europe would have doubled without pandemic relief, analysis finds

An analysis of 17 countries in Europe and Asia found that the COVID-19 crisis hit small- and medium-sized businesses hard: In the absence of government support, the 2020 bankruptcy rate would have almost doubled to 18% on average, with even higher rates in the hardest hit sectors and countries, researchers found.

Government interventions in most countries has cushioned some of the blow, and despite the severity of the shock, the banking sector showed resiliency. Banks did not appear to be significantly impacted by the rise in loan defaults, according to a recent National Bureau of Economic Research working paper co-authored by Clausen Center Faculty Director Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas.

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Watch the Webinar New Thinking in a Pandemic

Watch the Webinar New Thinking in a Pandemic

You can watch the video of New Thinking in a Pandemic, a recent webinar co-sponsored by the Clausen Center, on YouTube at https://youtu.be/EcHBD-D5CRQ. In conversation with Clausen Center Director Professor Pierre-Oliver Gourinchas, the S.K. and Angela Chan Professor of Global Management, Political Science and Economics Professor Barry Eichengreen, who is also a Clausen Center faculty member, shared his recent research on how the coronavirus pandemic might significantly reduce trust in political institutions and science for decades to come, and leave long-lasting scars on the next generation.

About the series:
“New Thinking in a Pandemic: Business, Economics, and Inclusion” is a twice-monthly series hosted by Berkeley Haas faculty to highlight cutting-edge, high-level thinking and analysis on a range of topics around business, economics, and equity during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

The Economic and Business Implications of Covid-19

The Economic and Business Implications of Covid-19

Through their research, Clausen Center faculty and visiting scholars are addressing the economic and business implications of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as policy approaches that may help lessen the damage to the global economy. The links below will take you to the articles, interviews, and working papers covering these topics. Please check back frequently for new updates.