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α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
This study investigates whether benchmark stock indices, precious metals or cryptocurrencies constitute more reliable hedging mechanisms in normal periods in comparison with crises. Using daily data about the Dow Jones sectors, gold, silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum and by adopting the innovative Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregressive (TVP-VAR) specification we investigate dynamic connectedness and how this is affected by the crisis. Findings reveal higher systemic connectedness during the early Covid-19 period and that sectoral indices are transmitters while metals and cryptocurrencies are receivers of spillover impacts. Gold and silver serve as better hedges in the early and intense crisis while ‘blue-chip’ stocks efficiently hedge during more mature phases. From a financial perspective, this result suggests that long-standing stock markets possess similar abilities with established safe havens and serve as hedging tools during mature stages of crises while precious metals are more suitable for fighting unanticipated shocks in f inancial markets.