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AbstractThe present study conducts a dynamic conditional cross-correlation and time–frequency correlation analyses between cryptocurrency and equity markets in both advanced and emerging economies. The purpose of the study is twofold. First, the study investigates the presence of the pure (narrow) form of financial contagion between cryptocurrency and stock markets in both advanced and emerging economies, during the black swan event of the COVID-19 crisis. Second, the study examines the hedging and safe-haven properties of cryptocurrencies against equity markets, before and during periods of financial upheaval triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two econometric models are used: (1) the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) GARCH and (2) the wavelet analysis models. Using the DCC GARCH model, the study found the evidence of high conditional correlations between cryptocurrency and equity markets. The high conditional correlation was mostly detected in periods of financial turmoil corresponding to the first quarter and the second quarter of 2020. The increase in conditional correlation during periods of financial upheaval (compared to a tranquil period) indicates the presence of the pure form of financial contagion. The wavelet cross-correlation analysis showed the evidence of positive cross-correlation between the Bitcoin and the equity markets during period of financial turmoil. The cross-correlation was identified in both short and long (coarse) scales. In short scales, the equity markets lead the cryptocurrency market, while the cryptocurrency market leads equity markets in coarse scales. The findings of the present study revealed that the degree of interdependence between cryptocurrency and equity markets has substantially increased during the COVID-19 period, and this has negated the safe-haven and hedging benefits of cryptocurrencies over equity markets.

For short-term investments in equity markets, investors use price points, candlestick patterns, moving averages, support and resistance levels, trendlines, price patterns, relative strength index, and moving average convergence-divergence as reference(s) for making decisions. This study investigates whether investors use daily price extremes (highest and lowest prices for the day) for making short-term investments or trading decisions in the context of the Indian equity market. Using 6,902 observations of daily data of the NIFTY 50 index since its launch, it is observed that daily price extremes (high or low) have no impact on opening returns of the next trading day. Based on the dummy regression analysis, next-day opening returns were found to be statistically significant, which implies the presence of momentum behavior. However, insignificant coefficients for high or low-price extremes of the day mean that investors do not use them as an anchor or reference point for decisions. Results are consistent over time and robust to the rising or falling markets. Further, opening returns were seen to be more volatile than closing returns in the first half of the sample, and they are less volatile in the second half, implying that markets have become more efficient in the last few years.

In the realm of financial markets, understanding the interplay between mutual fund investment growth and equity market performance is paramount for investors, fund managers, and policymakers alike. This empirical study embarks on a comprehensive exploration of this intricate relationship, employing advanced econometric techniques to dissect historical data and uncover underlying patterns and dynamics. Building upon hypotheses positing significant associations between mutual fund investment growth and equity market performance, the study delves into regression analysis and statistical modelling to discern causality and quantify the impact of mutual fund investments on equity market behavior. In addition, the study investigates the influence of mutual fund performance metrics, such as annualized return, on equity market returns, shedding light on the part of mutual funds in shaping market outcomes. Despite inherent limitations, including data constraints and potential endogeneity issues, the findings contribute valuable empirical evidence and actionable insights for stakeholders navigating financial markets. Through its rigorous empirical approach and robust analytical framework, this study advances financial research and informs decision-making processes, empowering stakeholders to navigate the complex landscape of investments and market participation effectively.The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how mutual fund investments impact equity market performance, offering valuable implications for the various players in navigating financial markets.

The investment decisions are subjected to risk and return of the financial asset. Options strategies help employ a suitable strategy to balance the risk-return trade-off. The study analyzes the risk-return trade-off of the long straddle, long strangle, long call butterfly (LCB), short straddle, short strangle, and short call butterfly (SCB) strategies. Moreover, it measures the impact of strategy risk and options premiums on strategy return using panel data analysis. Additionally, the study evaluates the performance of options strategies using the excess returns to risk approach under neutral and volatile market conditions. This paper considered companies of top-six sector indices of the National Stock Exchange from 2009 to 2020 and collected data of 18,720 option contracts and 3,744 observations for each strategy (22,464 observations). The study revealed that risks of long straddle and long strangle strategies have a positive impact, and options premiums negatively influence their payoff. ATM call premiums positively affect LCB payoff, while OTM and ITM call premiums positively influence SCB payoff. However, the risks of butterfly strategy did not influence its payoff. The risk of short straddle and short strangle strategies negatively influenced the payoff and were considered riskier strategies. Moreover, short straddle and short strangle strategies enhanced excess returns under both market conditions. The results would help the investors in choosing the appropriate strategy by analyzing the impact of risk on the payoff and the ability to enhance excess returns to the risk of various options strategies to incorporate in their investment.

COVID-19 has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic and has strongly impacted financial markets of the world, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Since the outbreak is unprecedented, there is a need to analyze the effects of the disease on volatility spillovers between equity and bond markets. We empirically investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial equity and debt markets in the GCC region. We used the TVP-VAR dynamic connectedness approach to measure risk transmission in the GCC market. This study investigated the time-varying behavior of GCC equity and conventional and Islamic debt markets using data from 1 January 2019 to 30 August 2021. The results were also validated by performing a DCC-GARCH analysis to check the shock and spillovers among the GCC markets. We found the persistent shock transmitter roles of equity markets to bond and Sukuk markets in the GCC region, and the total dynamic connectedness increased during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the significant level of interconnectedness exists within the GCC markets.

The author determines the peculiarities of privatisation processes in transformational economies compared with mature ones and considers the difference of the goal – to accelerate the development of the already existing stock market, and in fact, to create the market anew. Socio-economic transformations, privatisation of property and creation of market infrastructure are prerequisites but not a guarantee for the emergence of the domestic stock market as a specific institutional phenomenon, especially in the absence of adequate incentives for public equity. It is established that some local stock markets are degraded against the background of increasing size, globalisation, liquidity, and integration of world capital markets, including the Ukrainian one. It is stated that, unlike the neighbouring post-socialist states (firstly, Poland), the stock market has not been built in Ukraine as a basis for compelling attraction and allocation of capital. Paper substantiated that this is primarily a consequence of inefficient and protracted privatisation, mainly over-the-counter sale of shares, inconsistency of state and regulatory policy, optional iterations in the development of market infrastructure, the creation irrationality of privatised enterprises (even the smallest) exclusively in the form of open joint-stock companies, which die to their objective inability to raise public capital faced inadequate financial burden and coercion of listing on exchanges. The author identified the main problems of the Ukrainian stock market laid down during privatisation: excessively consolidated share capital structure, insecurity of minorities, meagre free-float and liquidity, conditional exchange pricing, the predominance of over-the-counter circulation of shares, etc. Emphasis is placed on the consequences of the attempt to implement the squeeze-out procedure in Ukraine. In the absence of market prices and the acquisition of control by dominant shareholders long before the legislative changes, the share buyback did not protect minorities. However, it led to significant investors’ losses, termination of circulation of shares of most issuers, even greater conditionality of indices, capitalisation and other indicators of market development. It is noted that the effectiveness of the announced state plans for the development of the stock market due to the privatisation of state property remains in doubt in the absence of prerequisites for balancing economic interests between market participants, the objectivity of pricing, incentives for public capital raising and effective institutional environment. It is concluded that in Ukraine, the focus on privatisation procedures in the stock market development has no prospects in the absence of adequate incentives for the public raising of capital.

Orientation: This study investigated the relationship between the equity markets and foreign exchange markets in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). Research purpose: This study examined the financial connectedness through volatility spillovers and co-movements among equity and foreign exchange markets in the BRICS countries to better understand market interdependencies. Motivation for the study: The literature mainly focused on volatility transmission from developed countries. Research approach: This research, used the Diebold and Yilmaz spillover index approach (DY index). The DY index is based on variance decompositions (VD) and impulse response functions that use a vector autoregressive (VAR) modelling framework. The study period was from 02 January 1997 to 31 December 2018. Main findings: Shocks from the equity markets dominate the foreign exchange markets, while foreign exchange markets dominate their equity markets at an individual level. There are interdependencies between BRICS equity markets and foreign exchange markets, except for China, whose markets are relatively isolated from other BRICS markets. Brazil is the largest contributor of volatility spillovers to other BRICS markets. The South African rand is the most integrated within BRICS. Practical implications: Foreign exchange markets provided better diversification opportunities. Significant increases in volatility spillovers associated with turmoil periods in domestic and global markets provide evidence for contagion effects in BRICS markets. Contribution: The current account (flow-oriented model) is crucial in exchange rate determination at the individual country level. In contrast, the capital account (stock-oriented model) is a significant factor in exchange rate determinations at an aggregate level.

Purpose: To understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted investment and financial decisions of individuals in small towns in developing nations such as India. Methodology: A literature review was undertaken on COVID-19 and steps taken by the government to fight the pandemic. A sample survey was conducted to determine the impact of COVID-19 on individuals’ financial transactions in Madhya Pradesh (MP) . The respondents either belonged to the service sector or owned businesses. The relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and change in investment decisions of individuals with respect to SIPs was studied. Findings: Significant association was found between measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (such as lockdown and travel restrictions) and individual income; such preventive measures directly impacted savings and investment behaviour. Indeed, respondents reported a 43% drop in SIP investments during the COVID-19 pandemic. While decline in investment was common to genders, the difference between percentage decline was statistically non-significant. Furthermore, investment behaviour did not vary with investor age. Research Implications: Results highlight the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak at the micro-level and may enable financial institutions and individuals to better handle such situations in future. The scope of the present research is limited. Future studies could consider larger samples and different contexts to gain deeper insights into the socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies could also suggest policies and measures to help governments effectively deal with future crises. Originality/ Value: Hitherto, the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on investment decisions of individuals in Tier 3 cities had remained under-examined; this is one of the first studies to carry out such an investigation.

The purpose of this study is to examine the volatility and return spillover effect in the stock indices of 19 developed and developing market economies during the period between January 2000 and June 2019, and it is also aimed to examine the findings specifically for Turkish stock exchange market (Borsa Istanbul). In the study, spillover index method of Diebold and Yılmaz (2009) is used and as a result, it is found that the USA and the UK have the highest spillover effect among other countries. On the other hand, the net effect spillover from Turkey to other and from other countries to Turkey are not at their high levels compared to others. In Turkey, return on equity markets and price volatility stems mainly from its internal shocks. Finally, it has been concluded that total spillover has increased in the crucial global events such as Mortgage crisis, Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, and Brexit referendum where financial stress is at its highest level.

The efficient market hypothesis, despite being the basis of modern economy, remains one of the most controversial and contested concepts. Efficient markets, i.e. markets which reflect available information in asset prices, can exist under the assumption that humans are rational individuals – „homo economicus”. On the other hand, behavioural economics takes a different approach and presents the decision maker as an individual who makes cognitive errors and employs simplifications and heuristics. Accepting or rejecting the existence of efficient markets has far-reaching implications for stock market investors. If the market immediately reflects available information in prices, then they should not be able to achieve above-average returns. However, history shows that many investors have significantly multiplied their capital and outperformed the market. Strategies that enable above-average returns are called „stock market anomalies” to indicate their clash with classical assumptions of economics. Over the years, there have been many studies of both market efficiency itself and the occurrence of calendar effects. This article aims to broaden the knowledge of the Polish equity market and examine its efficiency over the last 10 years. On the basis of a study of efficiency performed using various tools, the author was able to demonstrate the presence of some anomalies cited in literature on the subject. However, due to their instability over time and low repeatability with respect to various stock indices, the author was unable to unequivocally reject the efficiency of the Polish equity market.

This study aims to understand the moderating role of firm size on financial characteristics and Islamic firm value. Then study how the influence of firm size moderation on the relationship of financial characteristics and corporate governance with firm value. This study uses secondary data from financial statements and analyzed by the panel data method for six years. The sample selection is arranged by the purposive sampling method with Islamic index constituent population. Conclusion: leverage, profitability, and efficiency have a significant positive effect on Islamic firm value, but the liquidity and audit committee do not affect. Firm size moderators provide a reinforcing effect for all independent variables so that liquidity and audit committees have a positive effect on firm value. Implications: Islamic firm investors in the equity market should consider the crucial variable, namely firm size, in addition to firm and corporate governance characteristics. These conclusions provide important implications for managers and relevant authorities to enhance financial market information related to firm value and further attention to corporate governance mechanisms.

This paper sheds light on the relationship between the Nasdaq Composite Index and a newly proposed Energy Futures Conditions Index (EFCI). While various financial conditions indices provide information about the financial stability of a country, the existence of an energy condition index, using futures markets, is scarce. Using weekly data over the period 1992–2017, this paper introduces an energy futures index using principal component analysis and test its predictability over the Nasdaq Composite Index. The EFCI captures 95% of the variability inherent in crude oil, heating oil and natural gas futures’ total reportable positions. Stability in forecast errors over different lags suggests a one week lag is sufficient to forecast weekly Nasdaq Composite Index. 95% prediction levels support that the estimated model captures actual equity market index values, except for the 2000 technology bubble. Distributions of level data were non-normal, not serially correlated and homoscedastic under the whole sample period, with diagnostics on pre and post technology bubble crisis showing mixed results. While differencing ensured homoscedastic errors in the forecasting model, Granger causality supported non-causality from both energy futures and equity markets, suggesting no evidence of cross market information flows.

The present paper continues the studies of Pop et al. (2014) and Pop et al. (2015) and completes the previous studies by presenting a brief survey of RASDAQ’s entire active life, the profile of RASDAQ indices, and focusing on the last 911 RASDAQ listed companies: their profile and their decision to be transferred on other market segments or to be delisted. The results of the present study confirms, from another viewpoint, the findings of Pop et al. (2014) and Pop et al. (2015): RASDAQ most important role was to assist the ownership concentration process, thus this role was fulfilled much later compared with the similar markets that existed within the former communist countries. The fulfillment of this role was confirmed by: a) no important trading activity for most of the listed companies between 2013 and 2015; b) weak January and weekend effects; c) low free float. Furthermore, by choosing to put an end to RASDAQ, the Romanian authorities acknowledged the fulfillment of this role and the fact that a radical transformation of this controversial market was almost impossible.

Based on the theory of cointegrationfor index RTS oil and gas for three time periods model of the relationship withthe factors of conjuncture in the globalfinancial market were built. Transformation of models under the influence of the global financial and economic crisis was shown. The changes were explained from an economic point of view

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between book-tax differences (BTD) and earnings management in firms listed on the BM&F Bovespa. The final sample consisted of 485 observations (firm-year) and the analysis included the period from 2005 to 2009. Methodologically, two approaches were employed in this study: (i) frequency distribution and (ii) discretionary accruals – Modified Jones Model. The findings indicate a directly proportional relationship between BTD and discretionary accruals. There was evidence that the firms manage their earnings in the same direction of the observed signal of BTD, and seek to present the amount of BTD in level and variation around the breakeven and thus avoid a relationship with low earnings quality. Additionally, evidence indicate that the size of firm and the adoption of the tax basis transition are inversely related to the level of discretionary accruals.

The aim of the study is to explore the long run association among Pakistani equity market and some developed and emerging equity markets. Weekly data from the period of 2000 to 2010 was applied in this study. The result highlighted Pakistani equity market well correlated with the American equity market. The impulse response function result also illustrated that the American equity market created more instability as compare to other equity markets of the world. The portfolio managers of UK, India, Germany and China have a great opportunity to diversify their portfolio to take comparatively greater advantage from KSE.

This study focuses on how the current macroeconomic situation influences the telecommunications sector. The analysis suggests that telecommunications indices and thus telecommunications sectors are less influenced by current monetary expansion than is the US equity market as a whole. Also demonstrated is that the influence of the latest economic crisis on the telecommunications industry has been less cyclical than it has been for the stock market as a whole as measured by the S&P 500 US equity index.