IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eco/journ1/2024-06-25.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sectoral Performance of ESG Enabled Stocks during COVID-19 Pandemic in the Indian Stock Market

Author

Listed:
  • Prashant Sharma

    (Jindal School of Banking and Finance (JSBF), O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India)

  • Geetika Arora

    (University of the People, Pasadena, California, USA)

  • Sushil Kalyani

    (NIIT University Neemrana, Rajasthan, India)

  • Hanna Olasiuk

    (Jindal Global Business School, O. P. Jindal Global University Sonipat, Haryana, India)

  • Padmini Jindal

    (Department of Commerce, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, India)

Abstract

Over past one decade, there is significant rise in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) enabled investment practices across the globe and Indian economy is no exception to that. The ESG-enabled investment options provide better investment avenues for investment for retail and institutional investors by ensuring the long-term sustainability of the business. The present study tries to assess whether there is any impact of ESG scores on performance of stocks at the time of COVID-19 pandemic period. The study compares the performance of stocks with high ESG score vis-à-vis stocks with low ESG scores during COVID-19 period for different sectors of Indian stock market. The study considers the data of 312 sample firms listed on BSE 500 index. The event study methodology is used to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Indian stocks. The stocks were further divided into three categories high score (top 30% of firms), medium (middle 40% of firms) and low (bottom 30% of the firms). The results of the study suggest that the investors were more confident about the performance and revival of firms that carry high ESG scores than firms with low ESG scores. The investors are confident about the long-term prospects and sustainability of the firms, and they tend to hold their investment in the firms with high ESG scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Prashant Sharma & Geetika Arora & Sushil Kalyani & Hanna Olasiuk & Padmini Jindal, 2024. "Sectoral Performance of ESG Enabled Stocks during COVID-19 Pandemic in the Indian Stock Market," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 14(6), pages 232-238, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:eco:journ1:2024-06-25
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/download/17187/8297
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/17187
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ewens, Michael & Townsend, Richard R., 2020. "Are early stage investors biased against women?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(3), pages 653-677.
    2. Yashraj Varma & Renuka Venkataramani & Parthajit Kayal & Moinak Maiti, 2021. "Short-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Stock Market," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Umar, Zaghum & Kenourgios, Dimitris & Papathanasiou, Sypros, 2020. "The static and dynamic connectedness of environmental, social, and governance investments: International evidence," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 112-124.
    4. Rahul Verma & Rajesh Mohnot, 2023. "Relative Impact of the U.S. Energy Market Sentiments on Stocks and ESG Index Returns: Evidence from GCC Countries," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(2), pages 290-300, March.
    5. Rui Albuquerque & Yrjo Koskinen & Shuai Yang & Chendi Zhang, 2020. "Resiliency of Environmental and Social Stocks: An Analysis of the Exogenous COVID-19 Market Crash," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 9(3), pages 593-621.
    6. Guidolin, Massimo & Hansen, Erwin & Pedio, Manuela, 2019. "Cross-asset contagion in the financial crisis: A Bayesian time-varying parameter approach," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 83-114.
    7. Mohanty, Pitabas & Mishra, Supriti, 2024. "Did the Indian stock market overreact to Covid-19?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    8. Vinay Khandelwal & Prashant Sharma & Varun Chotia, 2023. "ESG Disclosure and Firm Performance: An Asset-Pricing Approach," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-22, June.
    9. Agus Sugiarto & Ni Nyoman Puspani & Fara Fathia, 2023. "ESG Leverage towards Stock Performance in Indonesia Stock Exchange," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 593-606, September.
    10. Jeremy Galbreath, 2013. "ESG in Focus: The Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 529-541, December.
    11. Sandra Rousseau & Nick Deschacht, 2020. "Public Awareness of Nature and the Environment During the COVID-19 Crisis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 1149-1159, August.
    12. Fama, Eugene F, et al, 1969. "The Adjustment of Stock Prices to New Information," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, February.
    13. Yanuar Trisnowati & Noer A. Achsani & Roy Sembel & Trias Andati, 2022. "The Effect of ESG Score, Financial Performance, and Macroeconomics on Stock Returns during the Pandemic Era in Indonesia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(4), pages 166-172, July.
    14. Jae-Joon Han & Hyun Jeong Kim & Jeongmin Yu, 2016. "Empirical study on relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance in Korea," Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 61-76, December.
    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. Hadiqa Ahmad & Muhammad Yaqub & Seung Hwan Lee, 2024. "Environmental-, social-, and governance-related factors for business investment and sustainability: a scientometric review of global trends," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 2965-2987, February.
    2. Pejman Abedifar & Kais Bouslah & Christopher Neumann & Amine Tarazi, 2023. "Resilience of Environmental and Social Stocks under Stress: Lessons from the COVID‐19 Pandemic," Financial Markets, Institutions & Instruments, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 23-50, May.
    3. Wu, Zhenshu & Pownall, Rachel & Shih, Yi-Cheng & Wang, Yao, 2024. "Industry effects of corporate environmental and social scandals: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PC).
    4. Ur Rehman, Mobeen & Al Rababa'a, Abdel Razzaq & El-Nader, Ghaith & Alkhataybeh, Ahmad & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2022. "Modelling the quantile cross-coherence between exchange rates: Does the COVID-19 pandemic change the interlinkage structure?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Assaf, Ata & Klotzle, Marcelo Cabus & Palazzi, Rafael Baptista & Demir, Ender, 2025. "Connectedness across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indices: evidence from emerging markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    6. Hooi Hooi Lean & Fabio Pizzutilo & Kimberly Gleason, 2023. "Portfolio performance implications of investment in renewable energy equities: Green versus gray," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2990-3005, November.
    7. Lei, Heng & Xue, Minggao & Liu, Huiling & Ye, Jing, 2023. "Precious metal as a safe haven for global ESG stocks: Portfolio implications for socially responsible investing," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Naeem, Muhammad Abubakr & Yousaf, Imran & Karim, Sitara & Tiwari, Aviral Kumar & Farid, Saqib, 2023. "Comparing asymmetric price efficiency in regional ESG markets before and during COVID-19," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    9. Lorraine Eden & Stewart R. Miller & Sarfraz Khan & Robert J. Weiner & Dan Li, 2022. "The event study in international business research: Opportunities, challenges, and practical solutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(5), pages 803-817, July.
    10. Eisenkopf, Jana & Juranek, Steffen & Walz, Uwe, 2021. "Responsible investment and stock market shocks: Short-term insurance and persistent outperformance post-crisis?," SAFE Working Paper Series 329, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    11. Gaurav Jyoti & Ashu Khanna, 2024. "How does sustainability performance affect firms' market performance? An empirical investigation in the Indian context," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 20457-20483, August.
    12. Hung Manh Pham & Nham Linh Vuong & Dung Viet Tran & Minh Thi Hai Ngo & Trung Tien Le, 2025. "Does environmental, social, and governance disclosure affect financial performance? An empirical study of Southeast and East Asia commercial banks," Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-26, March.
    13. Imran, Zulfiqar Ali & Ahad, Muhammad & Shahzad, Khurram & Ahmad, Mobeen & Hameed, Imran, 2024. "Safe haven properties of industrial stocks against ESG in the United States: Portfolio implication for sustainable investments," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    14. Zengfu Li & Liuhua Feng & Zheng Pan & Hafiz M. Sohail, 2022. "ESG performance and stock prices: evidence from the COVID-19 outbreak in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    15. Hakan Gökhan Gündoğdu & Ahmet Aytekin & Şura Toptancı & Selçuk Korucuk & Çağlar Karamaşa, 2023. "Environmental, social, and governance risks and environmentally sensitive competitive strategies: A case study of a multinational logistics company," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4874-4906, November.
    16. Wu, Zhenshu, 2023. "Essays in corporate finance and ESG," Other publications TiSEM fe6f9604-d0c5-46f3-9492-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Rim El Khoury & Nohade Nasrallah & Khaled Hussainey, 2022. "Exploring the performance of responsible companies in G20 during the COVID-19 outbreak," Post-Print hal-03761427, HAL.
    18. Ann Susan Thomas & Ambili Jayachandran & Ajithakumari Vijayappan Nair Biju, 2024. "Strategic mapping of the environmental social governance landscape in finance – A bibliometric exploration through concepts and themes," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4428-4453, September.
    19. Iqbal, Najaf & Umar, Zaghum & Ruman, Asif M. & Jiang, Shaohua, 2024. "The term structure of yield curve and connectedness among ESG investments," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    20. Lorraine Eden & Charles F. Hermann & Stewart R. Miller, . "Evidence-based policymaking in a VUCA world," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ESG Scores; COVID-19; Indian Stock Market; Event Study; Sectoral Performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General

    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:eco:journ1:2024-06-25. 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: Ilhan Ozturk (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.econjournals.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.