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Firm-level trade credit responses to COVID-19-induced monetary and fiscal policies: International evidence

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  • Al-Hadi, Ahmed
  • Al-Abri, Almukhtar

Abstract

This paper provides preliminary evidence of the effects of fiscal and monetary policies designed to mitigate and contain the adverse economic impacts of COVID-19 on supplier-customer relationships during the first two quarters of 2020. We compare the impacts of various intervention policies on corporate trade credit for a sample of 14,623 firm-quarter observations, representing 56 countries, after controlling for quarter-, country-, industry-, and firm-fixed effects. We find that, overall, the monetary interventions are associated with lower levels of trade credit, while fiscal interventions increase the use of trade credit. Our results suggest that trade credit is lower in periods of less-restrictive bank credit. This finding has important policy implications for governments as they attempt to help financially constrained businesses survive the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Al-Hadi, Ahmed & Al-Abri, Almukhtar, 2022. "Firm-level trade credit responses to COVID-19-induced monetary and fiscal policies: International evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:60:y:2022:i:c:s0275531921001896
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2021.101568
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade credit; COVID-19; Fiscal policy; Monetary policy; Non-conventional monetary policy; Economic crises;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E50 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - General
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy

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