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Greenium, credit rating, and the COVID-19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Emre Arat

    (Technical University of Darmstadt)

  • Britta Hachenberg

    (Technische Hochschule Köln)

  • Florian Kiesel

    (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano)

  • Dirk Schiereck

    (Technical University of Darmstadt)

Abstract

We analyze green and conventional bonds during regular market periods and within times of extreme volatility, the COVID-19 pandemic. We find a negative premium (greenium) of 1.6 bp before the outbreak of COVID-19, but during the times of extreme market stress, this greenium widens to 3.5 bp as our results show a significant outperformance of green bonds. The results indicate that green bonds are more resilient during risk-off periods than non-green bonds. In addition, the greenium effect is moderated by the issuer's country environmental performance as the greenium is more pronounced for issuers from non-green countries prior to COVID-19. We do not find differences between green and non-green countries since COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Emre Arat & Britta Hachenberg & Florian Kiesel & Dirk Schiereck, 2023. "Greenium, credit rating, and the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(7), pages 547-557, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:assmgt:v:24:y:2023:i:7:d:10.1057_s41260-023-00320-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41260-023-00320-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Fatica, Serena & Panzica, Roberto, 2024. "Sustainable investing in times of crisis: Evidence from bond holdings and the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Danilo Liberati & Giuseppe Marinelli, 2024. "Was Covid-19 a wake-up call on climate risks? Evidence from the greenium," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 832, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    3. Monia Magnani & Massimo Guidolin & Ian Berk, 2024. "Strong vs. stable: the impact of ESG ratings momentum and their volatility on the cost of equity capital," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(7), pages 666-699, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green bonds; Green bond premium; COVID-19; Credit rating; Crisis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

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