Using uncertainty regional shocks to assess the relationship between the COVID-19 crisis and economic regional cycles in Brazil

Abstract We estimate the effects of COVID-19 on regional economic cycles through uncertainty shocks, using quarterly data (from 2007 to 2022) for 13 Brazilian federative units. The results point to heterogeneity in two ways: persistence of simulated shocks and output recovery speed. Consequently, we found evidence supporting the hypothesis of asymmetric reactions, a feature directly related to resilience over external idiosyncrasies. Therefore, our analysis indicates that the states that react less to external shocks are most likely to recover quickly compared to more susceptible regions.