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Corporate Bond Liquidity During the COVID-19 Crisis

Author

Listed:
  • Mahyar Kargar
  • Benjamin Lester
  • David Lindsay
  • Shuo Liu
  • Pierre-Olivier Weill
  • Diego Zúñiga
Abstract
We study liquidity conditions in the corporate bond market during the COVID-19 pandemic. We document that the cost of trading immediately via risky-principal trades increased dramatically at the height of the sell-off, forcing customers to shift towards slower, agency trades. Exploiting eligibility requirements, we show that the Federal Reserve’s corporate credit facilities had a positive effect on market liquidity. A structural estimation reveals that customers’ willingness to pay for immediacy increased by about 200 bps per dollar of transaction, but quickly subsided after the Fed announced its interventions. Dealers’ marginal cost also increased substantially, but did not fully subside.

Suggested Citation

  • Mahyar Kargar & Benjamin Lester & David Lindsay & Shuo Liu & Pierre-Olivier Weill & Diego Zúñiga, 2020. "Corporate Bond Liquidity During the COVID-19 Crisis," NBER Working Papers 27355, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27355
    Note: AP CF EFG ME
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E5 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • E65 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Studies of Particular Policy Episodes
    • G0 - Financial Economics - - General
    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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