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This paper analyses the economic confidence indicators' reaction to the environment surrounding the COVID‐19 pandemic. Using Eurostat's monthly data for the economic sentiment in European Union countries, we found that, in the COVID‐19 era, confidence and perceptions about the economy are strongly dominated by factors related to the pandemic, more so by policy measures and the vaccination process than by the direct health impact of the coronavirus. This is found to be prevalent across the multiple dimensions of economic sentiment. Moreover, standard macroeconomic variables seem to play a smaller and more marginal role during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bank depositors and creditors are expected to play an important role in banks' dividend policy since they can either discipline or incentivise managers to pay larger dividends. We provide evidence suggesting that depositors are more influential than subordinated debtholders in disciplining banks facing extreme solvency situations from wealth expropriation, which is consistent with the monitoring hypothesis. The results for solvent banks show that deposits and subordinated debt explain larger dividends, suggesting that signalling incentives drive these cash payments. Diving deeper into our groups of banks, we observe that the risk‐shifting hypothesis becomes more nuanced as listed banks exercise wealth expropriation after the crisis through the uninsured deposits channel. Our results provide significant support for major dividend theories, unravelling the debt channels through which these theories may hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and includes one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. Despite the high prevalence, many professionals who work with children and adolescents with this disorder do not have enough knowledge on the subject. Physical education professionals deal directly with these children and need the knowledge to choose which skills and/or motor criteria to emphasize in their classes. However, issues related to neurodevelopmental disorders are not frequently addressed in the physical education courses, which impairs proper dealing with this population. AIM: This study aims to verify the level of knowledge about ADHD and its motor impairments in professionals and students of physical education. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed by researchers of motor behavior and was applied to professionals and students of physical education. The participants' responses were then analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The results indicate that although the volunteers have basic notions about the subject, they do not have enough preparation to deal with children with ADHD. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the knowledge about ADHD is insufficient and a reformulation in the curriculum of physical education courses is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the role of the political environment in the timing of financial crises over a sample of 85 countries during the period 1975–2017. We consider systemic banking, currency and sovereign debt crises in addition to twin and triple crises. Using a fixed‐effects logit model, this study shows that banking and currency crises are more likely to occur within 1 year after elections. There is also evidence that the probability of currency crises increases when right‐wing parties are in office. Moreover, time in office of incumbent chief executives reduces the likelihood of any type of financial crises. The incidence of twin and triple crises is lower when majority governments are in office. This study contributes to the literature by calling attention to the importance of some political factors for different types of financial crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses how economic freedom is affected by the ideological stance, being the first to analyse the role of dictatorial regimes and their ideological orientations. Using annual data for 145 countries over the period 2000‐2017 and a two‐step system GMM estimator, this study finds that democracies do promote more economic freedom than authoritarian regimes, but not in all circumstances The probability that economic liberalization is promoted is higher for right‐wing dictatorships than for other autocracies and comparable to other types of democratic ruling, with the exception of right‐wing democratic governments that strongly benefit liberalization. These right‐wing governments, alongside (the negative effect of) non‐right‐wing dictatorships, seem to be the main contributors to explaining why democracies in recent years are promoting more economic liberalization than autocracies. Additionally, our results suggest that democratic governments not ideologically identifiable seem to share a common dislike for policies that promote liberalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the commonalities and differences between benign credit booms and those that end up in banking crises by employing a Multinomial and a Sequential Logit model over a panel of industrial and developing countries. Some economic, political and institutional factors are found to play an important role in understanding the credit booms dynamics. In particular, this study shows that the quantity and price of credit, liquidity in the economy, economic growth, openness of the economy, government orientation, political stability and Central Bank independence are relevant to explain not only the occurrence of credit booms but also – and most importantly – whether they end up in a systemic banking crisis or not. While a better economic environment and Central Bank independence are essential for both industrial and developing countries to avoid credit booms from going badly, political factors seem to exert a stronger influence in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents a new perspective on the study of credit booms by both examining what determines their duration and testing for relevant political features. The results from the estimation of a discrete‐time duration model show that both the economic and the political environment influence the duration of credit booms. These events are found to last longer when: (a) the economy is growing faster; (b) levels of liquidity in the banking system are lower; (c) current account position deteriorates; (d) centre parties are in office; and (e) with coalitions/minority governments. Evidence of a political cycle in the duration of credit booms is also detected. Additionally, this study shows that credit booms that end up in banking crises last longer but this effect can be offset by a higher degree of Central Bank independence. Hence, a monetary authority that is not influenced by political pressures is essential to prevent the unfolding of credit booms into banking crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature that investigates credit booms has essentially focused on their economic determinants. This paper explores the importance of political conditionings and central bank independence and provides some striking findings on this matter. Estimating a fixed effects logit model over a panel of developed and developing countries for the period 1975q1–2016q4, we find that credit booms are less likely when right‐wing parties are in office, especially in developing countries, and when there is political instability. However, they have not proven to depend on the electoral cycle. More independent Central Banks are also found to reduce the probability of credit booms. Moreover, they seem to be more likely to occur and spread within a monetary union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the presence of political cycles in Portuguese Governments' expenditures using monthly data over the period 1991-2013 for the main categories of government expenditures. The results indicate that Portuguese Governments act opportunistically regarding the budget surplus and that they favour capital instead of current spending near to the elections. Moreover, right-wing governments are more prone to reduce expenditures and deficits after the elections than left-wing ones. A deeper disaggregated analysis of the components of government expenditures corroborates these findings while disentangling other relevant patterns of political manipulation in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper analyses how the functional components of public expenditure and spending‐driven consolidations affect the economic growth, unemployment, and income inequality. A dynamic panel data least squares dummy variable estimator estimator is employed over a sample of 15 European Union countries during the period 1990–2012. The empirical results show that real GDP growth decreases when fiscal austerity measures are implemented, especially if they are spending‐driven. Cuts in public expenditure undermine economic growth, namely if they slash spending on public order, recreation, and education. Spending cuts on education, in particular, affect the investment in human capital, harming not only growth but also economic, social, and human development. The unemployment rate also proved to be significantly boosted when austerity measures restrict spending on education, whereas income inequality rises when social protection expenditures are cut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impact of elections, partisan and political support effects on the dynamics of human development in a panel of 82 countries over the period 1980–2013. A Generalised Method of Moments(GMM) estimator is employed and the results point out to the presence of an electoral cycle in the growth rate of human development. Majority governments also influence it, but no evidence is found regarding partisan effects. The electoral cycles have proved to be stronger in non-OECD countries, in countries with less frequent elections, with lower levels of income and human development, in presidential and non-plurality systems and in proportional representation regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We employ a discrete-time parametric duration model on a group of 121 countries over the period 1970-2011 and find that the probability of the end of financial markets' shutdown and reaccess falls as these events become longer. We also show that: (1) shutdown episodes are longer when economic prospects are poor and the degree of financial openness falls, the chief executive has been in office for long periods, and the country has a default history and (2) spells of reaccess tend to be longer when economic growth improves and financial openness increases, there are neither government crises nor government instability, and the country did not default in the past. ( JEL C41, G15) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the presence of political cycles inside the Portuguese governments’ aggregate expenditures by using annual data for 10 expenditure components. The results indicate that the choice of the expenditure components to be increased during election periods by Portuguese governments generally relates to more visible items such as general public services, social protection and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Building on a narrative approach to identify episodes of fiscal consolidation, data for a group of seventeen industrial countries over the period 1978–2009, and continuous-time duration models, we find evidence suggesting that the likelihood of a fiscal consolidation ending increases over time, but only for programmes that last fewer than six years. Additionally, fiscal consolidations tend to last longer in non-European than in European countries. Our results emphasize that chronic fiscal imbalances might lead to a vicious austerity cycle, while discipline in the behaviour of fiscal authorities is a means of achieving credible and shorter adjustment measures. Therefore, fiscal fatigue is likely to compromise the implementation and successfulness of fiscal consolidation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]