How did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Depositors in the Eurozone?

Our findings reveal that deposit interest rates in countries with higher COVID-19 infection rates decreased more than the counter rates in countries with lower infection rates, even among the branches of the same banks. Reduction in credit, national policies such as the European economic stimulus package (EuESP), and the risk-averse behavior of consumers do not explain the variations in rates of deposits across those different Eurozone countries. The data suggests that when there are more COVID-19 cases in the Eurozone, people living there become more concerned about losing their jobs or income.