IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ebl/ecbull/eb-22-00369.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

COVID-19 and stock liquidity: Evidence from top 30 Kuala Lumpur composite index

Author

Listed:
  • Yee - Ee Chia

    (Labuan Faculty of International Finance, Universiti Malaysia Sabah)

  • Ricky Chee - Jiun Chia

    (Labuan Faculty of International Finance, Universiti Malaysia Sabah)

  • Mohd Ashari Bakri

    (Labuan Faculty of International Finance, Universiti Malaysia Sabah)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent government policy on stock liquidity traded on the top 30 companies listed on the Main Board of the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI. We collect daily data for stock liquidity, the cumulative number of total cases, the cumulative number of total deaths, the number of active cases, the number of daily new cases, the total number of people vaccinated and firm-specific characteristics for the period from January 2, 2020 to June 30, 2021. The pooled ordinary least squares regression results demonstrate a negative association between COVID-19 and liquidity, suggesting that a higher proportion of COVID-19 cases deteriorate firm stock liquidity. We also document that vaccination programs assist in improving stock liquidity. Additional analysis of the industry sector shows significant differences in liquidity between sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic increases stock liquidity for the transportation and logistics sector and energy sector, but it hardly hits the plantation sector. In terms of government intervention, the vaccination program helps in improving stock liquidity for the utilities sector. Since the negative impact of COVID-19 is inevitable, future research should consider the essential role of vaccinations to recognize and forecast the behavior of stock liquidity.

Suggested Citation

  • Yee - Ee Chia & Ricky Chee - Jiun Chia & Mohd Ashari Bakri, 2023. "COVID-19 and stock liquidity: Evidence from top 30 Kuala Lumpur composite index," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 43(1), pages 280-294.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-22-00369
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2023/Volume43/EB-23-V43-I1-P21.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Choi, Woon Gyu & Kang, Taesu & Kim, Geun-Young & Lee, Byongju, 2017. "Global liquidity transmission to emerging market economies, and their policy responses," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 153-166.
    2. Xu, Libo, 2021. "Stock Return and the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Canada and the US," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    3. Chia, Yee-Ee & Lim, Kian-Ping & Goh, Kim-Leng, 2020. "Liquidity and firm value in an emerging market: Nonlinearity, political connections and corporate ownership," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    4. Amihud, Yakov, 2002. "Illiquidity and stock returns: cross-section and time-series effects," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 31-56, January.
    5. Goodell, John W., 2020. "COVID-19 and finance: Agendas for future research," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    6. Boubakri, Narjess & Chen, Ruiyuan (Ryan) & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Nash, Robert, 2020. "State ownership and stock liquidity: Evidence from privatization," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Huayu Shen & Mengyao Fu & Hongyu Pan & Zhongfu Yu & Yongquan Chen, 2020. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Firm Performance," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(10), pages 2213-2230, August.
    8. Mitchell A. Petersen, 2009. "Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 435-480, January.
    9. Kusumahadi, Teresia Angelia & Permana, Fikri C, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 on Global Stock Market Volatility," Journal of Economic Integration, Center for Economic Integration, Sejong University, vol. 36(1), pages 20-45.
    10. Haroon, Omair & Rizvi, Syed Aun R., 2020. "COVID-19: Media coverage and financial markets behavior—A sectoral inquiry," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    11. Bhaskar Bagchi & Susmita Chatterjee & Raktim Ghosh & Dhrubaranjan Dandapat, 2020. "Coronavirus Outbreak and the Great Lockdown," SpringerBriefs in Economics, Springer, number 978-981-15-7782-6, June.
    12. Chebbi, Kaouther & Ammer, Mohammed Abdullah & Hameed, Affan, 2021. "The COVID-19 pandemic and stock liquidity: Evidence from S&P 500," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 134-142.
    13. Ding, Wenzhi & Levine, Ross & Lin, Chen & Xie, Wensi, 2021. "Corporate immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 802-830.
    14. Baig, Ahmed S. & Butt, Hassan Anjum & Haroon, Omair & Rizvi, Syed Aun R., 2021. "Deaths, panic, lockdowns and US equity markets: The case of COVID-19 pandemic," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    15. Hu, Shiwei & Zhang, Yuyao, 2021. "COVID-19 pandemic and firm performance: Cross-country evidence," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 365-372.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Apergis, Nicholas & Lau, Chi Keung & Xu, Bing, 2023. "The impact of COVID-19 on stock market liquidity: Fresh evidence on listed Chinese firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    2. Hasan, Md. Tanvir, 2022. "The sum of all SCARES COVID-19 sentiment and asset return," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 332-346.
    3. Liu, Qingfu & Shi, Chen & Tse, Yiuman & Wang, Chuanjie, 2023. "The value of communication during pandemics," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Kamal, Javed Bin & Wohar, Mark, 2023. "Heterogenous responses of stock markets to covid related news and sentiments: Evidence from the 1st year of pandemic," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 68-85.
    5. Lin, Xin-Yi & Liu, Jing-Yue & Zhang, Yue-Jun, 2024. "Does corporate social responsibility affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    6. Ahmad, Wasim & Kutan, Ali M. & Chahal, Rishman Jot Kaur & Kattumuri, Ruth, 2021. "COVID-19 Pandemic and firm-level dynamics in the USA, UK, Europe, and Japan," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    7. Padhan, Rakesh & Prabheesh, K.P., 2021. "The economics of COVID-19 pandemic: A survey," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 220-237.
    8. Farooque, Omar Al & Baghdadi, Ghasan & Trinh, Hai Hong & Khandaker, Sarod, 2023. "Stock liquidity during COVID-19 crisis: A cross-country analysis of developed and emerging economies, and economic policy uncertainty," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    9. Nguyen, Harvey & Pham, Anh Viet & Pham, Man Duy (Marty) & Pham, Mia Hang, 2023. "Business resilience: Lessons from government responses to the global COVID-19 crisis," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    10. Chaiyuth Padungsaksawasdi & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2023. "Investor Attention and Global Stock Market Volatility: Evidence from COVID-19," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 22(1), pages 85-104, March.
    11. Demir, Ender & Danisman, Gamze Ozturk, 2021. "Banking sector reactions to COVID-19: The role of bank-specific factors and government policy responses," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    12. Cakici, Nusret & Zaremba, Adam, 2021. "Who should be afraid of infections? Pandemic exposure and the cross-section of stock returns," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Nguyen, Hung T. & Pham, Mia Hang & Truong, Cameron, 2023. "Leadership in a pandemic: Do more able managers keep firms out of trouble?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    14. Lang, Chunlin & Hu, Yang & Corbet, Shaen & Hou, Yang (Greg), 2024. "Tail risk connectedness in G7 stock markets: Understanding the impact of COVID-19 and related variants," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    15. Wan, Xiaoyuan & Zhang, Jiachen, 2024. "Systematic COVID risk, idiosyncratic COVID risk and stock returns," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    16. Möller, Rouven & Reichmann, Doron, 2023. "COVID-19 related TV news and stock returns: Evidence from major US TV stations," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 95-109.
    17. Umar, Zaghum & Manel, Youssef & Riaz, Yasir & Gubareva, Mariya, 2021. "Return and volatility transmission between emerging markets and US debt throughout the pandemic crisis," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    18. Chia, Yee-Ee & Lim, Kian-Ping & Goh, Kim-Leng, 2020. "More shareholders, higher liquidity? Evidence from an emerging stock market," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    19. Piñeiro-Chousa, Juan & López-Cabarcos, M. Ángeles & Quiñoá-Piñeiro, Lara & Pérez-Pico, Ada M., 2022. "US biopharmaceutical companies' stock market reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the concept of the ‘paradoxical spiral’ from a sustainability perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    20. Zaremba, Adam & Kizys, Renatas & Tzouvanas, Panagiotis & Aharon, David Y. & Demir, Ender, 2021. "The quest for multidimensional financial immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from international stock markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stock Liquidity; COVID-19; Movement Control Order; Pandemic Outbreak; KLCI;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-22-00369. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: John P. Conley (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.