IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jecomi/v12y2024i5p112-d1390585.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investigating the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stock Volatility in Sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence

Author

Listed:
  • Mbongiseni Ncube

    (School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Mabutho Sibanda

    (School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Frank Ranganai Matenda

    (School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban 4041, South Africa)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sector volatility in sub-Saharan Africa by drawing evidence from two large and two small stock exchanges in the region. The analysis included stock-specific data, COVID-19 metrics, and macroeconomic indicators from January 2019 to July 2022. This study employs generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models to estimate volatility and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in the form of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to identify significant factors driving stock volatility during the pandemic. The findings reveal significant volatility increases at the onset of the pandemic, with government stringency measures leading to increased volatility in larger exchanges, while the introduction of vaccination programs helped to reduce volatility. Weaker macroeconomic fundamentals impact volatility in smaller exchanges. The healthcare sector has emerged as the most resilient, while non-essential sectors, such as consumer discretionary, materials, and real estate, face greater vulnerability, especially in smaller exchanges. The research findings reveal that the heightened stock market volatility observed was mainly a result of the government’s actions to combat the spread of the pandemic, rather than its outbreak. We recommend that governments introduce sound policies to balance public health measures and economic stability, and that investors diversify their investments to reduce the impact of pandemics.

Suggested Citation

  • Mbongiseni Ncube & Mabutho Sibanda & Frank Ranganai Matenda, 2024. "Investigating the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stock Volatility in Sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-37, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:12:y:2024:i:5:p:112-:d:1390585
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/12/5/112/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/12/5/112/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Topcu, Mert & Gulal, Omer Serkan, 2020. "The impact of COVID-19 on emerging stock markets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    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. Yousfi, Mohamed & Ben Zaied, Younes & Ben Cheikh, Nidhaleddine & Ben Lahouel, Béchir & Bouzgarrou, Houssem, 2021. "Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the US stock market and uncertainty: A comparative assessment between the first and second waves," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Ashraf, Badar Nadeem, 2020. "Economic impact of government interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: International evidence from financial markets," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    5. Takyi, Paul Owusu & Bentum-Ennin, Isaac, 2021. "The impact of COVID-19 on stock market performance in Africa: A Bayesian structural time series approach," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    6. Cooper, Ian & Kaplanis, Evi, 1994. "Home Bias in Equity Portfolios, Inflation Hedging, and International Capital Market Equilibrium," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 7(1), pages 45-60.
    7. Bodie, Zvi, 1976. "Common Stocks as a Hedge against Inflation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 31(2), pages 459-470, May.
    8. Alok Kumar Mishra & Badri Narayan Rath & Aruna Kumar Dash, 2020. "Does the Indian Financial Market Nosedive because of the COVID-19 Outbreak, in Comparison to after Demonetisation and the GST?," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(10), pages 2162-2180, August.
    9. Grant Murewanhema & Tafadzwa Dzinamarira, 2022. "The COVID-19 Pandemic: Public Health Responses in Sub-Saharan Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-4, April.
    10. Papadamou, Stephanos & Fassas, Athanasios & Kenourgios, Dimitris & Dimitriou, Dimitrios, 2020. "Direct and Indirect Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Implied Stock Market Volatility: Evidence from Panel Data Analysis," MPRA Paper 100020, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    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. Tiwari, Aviral Kumar & Abakah, Emmanuel Joel Aikins & Karikari, Nana Kwasi & Gil-Alana, Luis Alberiko, 2022. "The outbreak of COVID-19 and stock market liquidity: Evidence from emerging and developed equity markets," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    2. Guven, Murat & Cetinguc, Basak & Guloglu, Bulent & Calisir, Fethi, 2022. "The effects of daily growth in COVID-19 deaths, cases, and governments’ response policies on stock markets of emerging economies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    3. Cervantes, Paula & Díaz, Antonio & Esparcia, Carlos & Huélamo, Diego, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 induced panic on stock market returns: A two-year experience," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1075-1097.
    4. Yu, Xiaoling & Xiao, Kaitian & Liu, Junping, 2022. "Dynamic co-movements of COVID-19 pandemic anxieties and stock market returns," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA).
    5. Mahata, Ajit & Rai, Anish & Nurujjaman, Md. & Prakash, Om, 2021. "Modeling and analysis of the effect of COVID-19 on the stock price: V and L-shape recovery," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 574(C).
    6. Ștefan Cristian Gherghina & Daniel Ștefan Armeanu & Camelia Cătălina Joldeș, 2020. "Stock Market Reactions to COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: Quantitative Evidence from ARDL Bounds Tests and Granger Causality Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-35, September.
    7. Jialei Jiang & Eun-Mi Park & Seong-Taek Park, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 on Economic Sustainability—A Case Study of Fluctuation in Stock Prices for China and South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    8. Muhammad Sheraz & Imran Nasir, 2021. "Information-Theoretic Measures and Modeling Stock Market Volatility: A Comparative Approach," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-20, May.
    9. Deev, Oleg & Plíhal, Tomáš, 2022. "How to calm down the markets? The effects of COVID-19 economic policy responses on financial market uncertainty," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Tran, Phan Huy Hieu, 2021. "Does employee stock ownership program reduce a company’s stock volatility during the Covid-19 lockdown?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    11. Moerman, Gerard A. & van Dijk, Mathijs A., 2010. "Inflation risk and international asset returns," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 840-855, April.
    12. Elgammal, Mohammed M. & Ahmed, Walid M.A. & Alshami, Abdullah, 2021. "Price and volatility spillovers between global equity, gold, and energy markets prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Wenbo Wang & Hail Park, 2021. "How Vulnerable Are Financial Markets to COVID-19? A Comparative Study of the US and South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Aharon, David Y. & Siev, Smadar, 2021. "COVID-19, government interventions and emerging capital markets performance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    15. 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.
    16. Shah, Sayar Ahmad & Garg, Bhavesh, 2023. "Testing policy effectiveness during COVID-19: An NK-DSGE analysis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    17. Gu, Tiantian & Venkateswaran, Anand & Erath, Marc, 2023. "Impact of fiscal stimulus on volatility: A cross-country analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    18. Runumi Das & Arabinda Debnath, 2022. "Analyzing the COVID-19 Pandemic Volatility Spillover Influence on the Collaboration of Foreign and Indian Stock Markets," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 14(2), pages 411-452, June.
    19. Rai, Anish & Mahata, Ajit & Nurujjaman, Md & Majhi, Sushovan & Debnath, Kanish, 2022. "A sentiment-based modeling and analysis of stock price during the COVID-19: U- and Swoosh-shaped recovery," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 592(C).
    20. Markus Eller & Reiner Martin & Lukas Vashold, 2021. "CESEE’s macroprudential policy response in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q1/21, pages 55-69.

    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:gam:jecomi:v:12:y:2024:i:5:p:112-:d:1390585. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.