This paper estimates the survival time of nearly 7,000 firms in a dozen high-income and middle-income countries in a scenario of extreme economic distress, using the World Bank's Enterprises Surveys. Under the assumption that firms have no incoming revenues and cover only fixed costs, the median...

The global repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial adverse impact on the overall economy, resulting in equity markets decline worldwide. Amidst this turbulent environment, plagued with uncertainty, investors have redirected their attention towards secure assets to protect their...