Since the beginning of COVID-19, human beings have been threatened by various aspects. As of February 14, 2022, this global pandemic has caused about 412 million cases and 5.8 million deaths worldwide. Stock markets are one of the most agile economic indicators. In this context, this study investigates how daily growth in deaths, daily growth in cases, and governmental interventions affect stock market returns in 21 emerging economies from January 22 to December 31, 2020. Our results indicate that government response policies to Covid-19 positively impact stock returns. Besides, the daily growths in deaths and cases negatively affect stock market returns. The results also indicate that government response policies also have an indirect positive effect on stock market returns by weakening the negative impact of the daily growth in COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths. [Display omitted] • How daily growth in deaths, daily growth in cases, and government policies affect stock market returns were investigated. • Government response policies to Covid-19 positively impact stock returns. • The coefficients on daily growth in deaths and cases seem to affect negatively stock market returns. • Government response policies also have an indirect positive effect on stock market returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]