Our evidence suggests that corporate governance in general, and the de facto protection
of minority shareholder rights in particular, mattered a great deal for the extent of exchange rate
depreciation and stock market decline in 1997-98. Although our results do not indicate which
countries are vulnerable to a loss of confidence, they do suggest that the extent of exchange rate
and stock market collapse in response to a loss of confidence is affected by investor protection.
Corporate governance can be of first order importance for determining the extent of
macroeconomic problems in crisis situations.