Did the Paycheck Protection Program Help Small Businesses? Evidence from Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

Sumit Agarwal, Brent W. Ambrose, Luis A. Lopez, Xue Xiao

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

In this study, we examine the broader economic effects of the US federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program by focusing on the performance of securitized commercial mortgages. We provide novel evidence for spillover effects of government interventions in the face of economic crises. We find that the PPP reduced mortgage delinquencies by approximately $36 billion in 2020. The strongest effects occur when PPP funds targeted businesses in areas most affected by COVID-19, where banks overperformed in providing PPP loans, and among mortgages on properties in retail and lodging. Thus, PPP relief to small businesses eased economic distress beyond the labor market.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)95-132
Number of pages38
JournalAmerican Economic Journal: Economic Policy
Volume16
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Economics, Econometrics and Finance

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