Our answer: Not so well. We reached that conclusion after reviewing recent research on the role of technology as a source of economic fluctuations. The bulk of the evidence suggests a limited role for aggregate technology shocks, pointing instead to demand factors as the main force behind the...

We analyze the fate of 110 Italian banks that experienced abrupt drops in profitability, from which about 1/3 recover. Recovery depends primarily on post-shock adjustments made by the banks, particularly to their loan portfolios. Matched bank-borrower data shows that recovering banks are...

We analyze the fate of 120 Italian banks that experienced abrupt drops in profitability. About 1/3 see their profits recover. These banks were lending to riskier clients than the average in the overall economy prior to their distress. Whether they recover depends on the size of the initial...