COVID-19 has had impacts on contracts relating to commercial undertakings (e.g., construction projects), commercial and industrial tenancies, and individual consumer transactions (e.g. bookings for events). Individuals or companies who are unable to meet their obligations may have to pay damages or forfeit deposits. Otherwise stable businesses may be sued and face lengthy litigation or possible insolvency.

On 1 April 2020, the Ministry of Law announced that it intended to introduce the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill (“Bill”) in Parliament within one week. The Bill aims to provide temporary relief and protection for individuals and companies who are unable to fulfil their contractual obligations because of COVID-19.

On September 15, 2008, Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy, an event considered by many to mark the beginning of the credit crisis of 2008–2009 and the unprecedented public policy responses that followed. Much has been written about the multiple contributing factors to the crisis, ranging from predatory lending to Federal Reserve interest rate policy.