Eight research papers explore AI, zombie firms and investment
Banca d'Italia published eight new Occasional Papers on September 17, 2026, covering issues ranging from corporate bond pricing under artificial intelligence to labor market distortions caused by zombie firms.
From corporate debt to synthetic panels
The release comprises Occasional Papers No. 1052 through No. 1059. Paper No. 1059 examines euro area investment dynamics across countries, assessing financial conditions and economic uncertainty.
Paper No. 1058 investigates how zombie firms affect healthy competitors through labor hoarding and misallocation.
In No. 1057, researchers analyze corporate bond pricing mechanisms in the era of artificial intelligence.
Paper No. 1056 explores synthetic unbalanced panel generation using Italian firm microdata to address re-identification risks.
Paper No. 1055 reviews fintech concentration and venture capital, while No. 1054 assesses immigration impacts on productivity and investment across OECD nations.
Inflation dynamics and supervisory stress
The final two papers focus on macroeconomic shocks and financial stability tools.
Paper No. 1053 investigates post-pandemic inflation dynamics and consumption elasticities across Italian households.
Paper No. 1052 introduces a supervisory assessment framework for geopolitical risk using contingent claims analysis to evaluate banking sector exposures.
Banca d'Italia issues its Occasional Papers series to present technical analyses, empirical studies and methodological contributions prepared by staff to inform policy discussions.
Broad scope, muted impact
Releasing eight papers at once dilutes their individual analytical punch.
While AI bond pricing and zombie firms tackle vital questions, bundling them obscures their supervisory relevance.
Without explicit policy conclusions, the bundle functions as an academic catalog rather than an operational toolkit.