An empirical study to identify shift contagion during the Asian crisis

The paper is an empirical study on contagion during the 1997–1998 Asian crisis. In line with Sander and Kleimeier [Sander, H., Kleimeier, S., 2003. Contagion and causality: an empirical investigation of four Asian crisis episodes. International Financial Markets, Institution and Money 13, 171–186], Granger causality among Asian economies on sovereign debt market is tested. Using a new measure of causality, we attempt to show the existence of shift contagion defined as significant differences in cross-markets links between tranquil and crisis periods. Firstly, non-existent links during the tranquil period play a key role during the crisis. Secondly, causality directions give evidence of the major influence of the South Korean crisis which seems to prevail on investors to reassess the whole region.