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Swiss trade during the COVID-19 pandemic: an early appraisal

Author

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  • Konstantin Büchel

    (Department of Economics & Center for Regional Economic Development (CRED), University of Bern)

  • Stefan Legge

    (Department of Economics, SIAW Institute, University of St.Gallen)

  • Vincent Pochon

    (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO))

  • Philipp Wegmüller

    (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO))

Abstract

This study uses trade data from Switzerland’s Federal Customs Administration to examine the impact of Covid-19 on international goods trade between January and July 2020. We show that Swiss trade during that period fell by 11% compared to 2019 and that the contraction following the “Federal Lockdown” in mid-March was considerably steeper than the Swiss trade collapse in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in September 2008. Examining cross-country variation in Covid-19 cases, the stringency of containment measures, and Swiss trade flows, we document that the pandemic adversely affected both the demand and supply side of foreign trade, while trade restrictions and exchange rate fluctuations played no major role behind the rapid decline of Swiss trade in the first half of 2020.

Suggested Citation

  • Konstantin Büchel & Stefan Legge & Vincent Pochon & Philipp Wegmüller, 2020. "Swiss trade during the COVID-19 pandemic: an early appraisal," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 156(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sjecst:v:156:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1186_s41937-020-00069-3
    DOI: 10.1186/s41937-020-00069-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Anamaria Diana Sova & Robert Sova, 2024. "The Covid‐19 pandemic and European trade flows: Evidence from a dynamic panel model," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 2563-2580, July.
    2. Abdullah Altun & Pinar Tat & Halit Yanikkaya, 2023. "The Role of Covid-19 Policy Responses on GVC Participation: The Turkish Experience," Working Papers 2023-01, Gebze Technical University, Department of Economics.
    3. Alexandre Olbrecht, 2021. "Human Suffering and Natural Experiments: How Empirical Economics can unmask the devastation of Covid-19," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 47(4), pages 461-463, October.
    4. Oleksandr SHNYRKOV & Oleksii CHUGAIEV, 2020. "Resilience Of The Eu Exports To Ukraine Under The Covid-19 Pandemic," EURINT, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7, pages 80-100.
    5. Daniel Goller & Stefan C. Wolter, 2021. "“Too shocked to search” The COVID-19 shutdowns’ impact on the search for apprenticeships," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 157(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. de Lucio, Juan & Mínguez, Raúl & Minondo, Asier & Requena, Francisco, 2022. "Impact of Covid-19 containment measures on trade," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 766-778.
    7. Taeil Kim & Sunghwa Park & Hanna Kim & Janghan Kwon, 2023. "Estimating the Impact of COVID-19 on International Trade: Cases of Major Countries Using the SUR Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Wegmüller, Philipp & Glocker, Christian & Guggia, Valentino, 2023. "Weekly economic activity: Measurement and informational content," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 228-243.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; Trade; Switzerland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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