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COVID-19 stringency measures and foreign investment: An early assessment

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  • Giofré, Maela

Abstract

This paper investigates the evolution of foreign investment in the immediate aftermath of the implementation of COVID-19 government stringency measures. The average stringency index is not correlated with inward investment positions. However, after removing country fixed-effect and controlling for the severity of the outbreak spread, the within-country standard deviation of the stringency index is positively and significantly correlated with inward portfolio investments, at the end of the first quarter of 2020. At the end of the second quarter, the same dispersion measure is instead not associated with a significant change in inward investment. We interpret this evidence as follows. Foreign portfolio investments, typically more volatile and reactive than foreign direct ones, are more responsive, at the end of the first quarter, to governments’ prompt interventions than to gradual ones, thus suggesting that the former policies are perceived as a more serious commitment to stem the spread of COVID-19. In the second quarter, instead, the standard deviation of the index captures the abrupt retreat of the containment measures, together with the timely adoption of policies, thus becoming less informative for foreign investors.

Suggested Citation

  • Giofré, Maela, 2021. "COVID-19 stringency measures and foreign investment: An early assessment," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:58:y:2021:i:c:s1062940821001492
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2021.101536
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giofré, Maela, 2022. "Foreign investment in times of COVID-19: How strong is the flight to advanced economies?," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    International Investments; COVID-19; Stringency index;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General

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