IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v89y2026ics1544612325026054.html

Green governance: The entry of green investors and stock liquidity

Author

Listed:
  • Xia, Dehua

Abstract

Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2022, this study examines whether and how green investors affect stock liquidity. The results show that the entry of green investors significantly enhances stock liquidity, and the findings remain robust across multiple tests. Mechanism analysis reveals that green investors improve stock liquidity through reducing information asymmetry, mitigating agency costs, and enhancing corporate ESG performance. The effect is stronger among firms with higher pollutant emissions, underscoring the governance roles of green investors. This study offers practical insights into how environmentally oriented investors contribute to market efficiency by enhancing stock liquidity.

Suggested Citation

  • Xia, Dehua, 2026. "Green governance: The entry of green investors and stock liquidity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:89:y:2026:i:c:s1544612325026054
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.109356
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325026054
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.109356?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wang, Xiaoqiong & Wei, Siqi, 2021. "Does the investment horizon of institutional investors matter for stock liquidity?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Shuming Liu, 2015. "Investor Sentiment and Stock Market Liquidity," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(1), pages 51-67, January.
    3. David S. Lee & Justin McCrary & Marcelo J. Moreira & Jack Porter, 2022. "Valid t-Ratio Inference for IV," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 112(10), pages 3260-3290, October.
    4. Zhang, Yingying & Feng, Nianqiao & Wang, Xinpeng, 2024. "Can the green finance pilot policy promote the low-carbon transformation of the economy？," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 1074-1086.
    5. Emil Verner & Győző Gyöngyösi, 2020. "Household Debt Revaluation and the Real Economy: Evidence from a Foreign Currency Debt Crisis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2667-2702, September.
    6. Erik Vogt & Michael Fleming & Or Shachar & Tobias Adrian, 2017. "Market Liquidity After the Financial Crisis," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 9(1), pages 43-83, November.
    7. Yu, Hongcui & Zhang, Jinsong, 2025. "Do green investors empower companies to develop sustainably? A study based on the perspective of innovation investment and corporate governance levels," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    8. Zhang, Qiyu & Zhang, Xiaoxiang & Chen, Ding & Strange, Roger, 2022. "Market discipline or rent extraction: Impacts of share trading by foreign institutional investors in different corporate governance and investor protection environments," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    9. 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.
    10. Feng, Jingyu & Yuan, Ying, 2024. "Green investors and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    11. Vikas Agarwal & Kevin A. Mullally & Yuehua Tang & Baozhong Yang, 2015. "Mandatory Portfolio Disclosure, Stock Liquidity, and Mutual Fund Performance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 70(6), pages 2733-2776, December.
    12. Flammer, Caroline, 2021. "Corporate green bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 499-516.
    13. Shi, Bo & Wang, Xiaoran & Jiang, Xiaowen & Yang, Huikang & Sui, Wenzhao, 2024. "Green institutional investors’ shareholding and corporate environmental responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    14. Aymen Ajina & Faten Lakhal & Danielle Sougné, 2015. "Institutional investors, information asymmetry and stock market liquidity in France," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(1), pages 44-59, February.
    15. Jiang, Guohua & Lee, Charles M.C. & Yue, Heng, 2010. "Tunneling through intercorporate loans: The China experience," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Rubin, Amir, 2007. "Ownership level, ownership concentration and liquidity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 219-248, August.
    17. Cortes, Gustavo S. & Gao, George P. & Silva, Felipe B.G. & Song, Zhaogang, 2022. "Unconventional monetary policy and disaster risk: Evidence from the subprime and COVID–19 crises," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    18. Emily Oster, 2019. "Unobservable Selection and Coefficient Stability: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(2), pages 187-204, April.
    19. Yashar H Barardehi & Dan Bernhardt & Thomas G Ruchti & Marc Weidenmier, 2021. "The Night and Day of Amihud’s (2002) Liquidity Measure [Asset pricing with liquidity risk]," The Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 11(2), pages 269-308.
    20. Campello, Murillo & Cortes, Gustavo S. & d’Almeida, Fabrício & Kankanhalli, Gaurav, 2022. "Exporting Uncertainty: The Impact of Brexit on Corporate America," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(8), pages 3178-3222, December.
    21. Ying Hao & Danni Han & Chong Ning & Jianhui Liao, 2021. "Culture from overseas and corporate transparency: Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 2491-2516, April.
    22. Chung, Kee H. & Chuwonganant, Chairat, 2014. "Uncertainty, market structure, and liquidity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 476-499.
    23. JOSEPH A. McCAHERY & ZACHARIAS SAUTNER & LAURA T. STARKS, 2016. "Behind the Scenes: The Corporate Governance Preferences of Institutional Investors," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 71(6), pages 2905-2932, December.
    24. Wagner, Alexander F. & Zeckhauser, Richard J. & Ziegler, Alexandre, 2018. "Company stock price reactions to the 2016 election shock: Trump, taxes, and trade," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(2), pages 428-451.
    25. Aymen Ajina & Faten Lakhal & Danielle Sougné, 2015. "Institutional investors, information asymmetry and stock market liquidity in France," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(1), pages 44-59, February.
    26. Gaspar, Jose-Miguel & Massa, Massimo, 2007. "Local ownership as private information: Evidence on the monitoring-liquidity trade-off," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(3), pages 751-792, March.
    27. Ding, Mingfa & Suardi, Sandy, 2019. "Government ownership and stock liquidity: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-1.
    28. Campello, Murillo & Kankanhalli, Gaurav & Muthukrishnan, Pradeep, 2024. "Corporate Hiring Under COVID-19: Financial Constraints and the Nature of New Jobs," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 59(4), pages 1541-1585, June.
    29. Lei, Shaohai & Chen, Yilan & Xia, Dehua, 2025. "Does climate risk disclosure affect stock liquidity?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    30. Huang, Winifred & Mazouz, Khelifa, 2018. "Excess cash, trading continuity, and liquidity risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 275-291.
    31. Qin Wang & Jun Zhang, 2015. "Individual investor trading and stock liquidity," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 485-508, October.
    32. Aymen Ajina & Faten Lakhal & Danielle Sougné, 2015. "Institutional investors, information asymmetry and stock market liquidity in France," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(1), pages 44-59, February.
    33. Roll, Richard, 1984. "A Simple Implicit Measure of the Effective Bid-Ask Spread in an Efficient Market," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 39(4), pages 1127-1139, September.
    34. Jiang, Fuxiu & Ma, Yunbiao & Shi, Beibei, 2017. "Stock liquidity and dividend payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 295-314.
    35. Chung, Kee H. & Elder, John & Kim, Jang-Chul, 2010. "Corporate Governance and Liquidity," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(2), pages 265-291, April.
    36. Brockman, Paul & Chung, Dennis Y. & Yan, Xuemin (Sterling), 2009. "Block Ownership, Trading Activity, and Market Liquidity," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 44(6), pages 1403-1426, December.
    37. Hua, Mingzhong & Li, Zhe & Zhang, Yudong & Wei, Xiaobei, 2024. "Does green finance promote green transformation of the real economy?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    38. Lei Zhang & Lili Xu & Mingzi Gao & Mingdong Zhou, 2024. "Can Agricultural Credit Promote the Green Transformation of China’s Agriculture?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-14, December.
    39. Prommin, Panu & Jumreornvong, Seksak & Jiraporn, Pornsit, 2014. "The effect of corporate governance on stock liquidity: The case of Thailand," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 132-142.
    40. Wang, Kai & Li, Tingting & San, Ziyao & Gao, Hao, 2023. "How does corporate ESG performance affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    41. Mahfuja Malik, 2015. "Value-Enhancing Capabilities of CSR: A Brief Review of Contemporary Literature," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 419-438, March.
    42. Breuer, Wolfgang & Müller, Torbjörn & Rosenbach, David & Salzmann, Astrid, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility, investor protection, and cost of equity: A cross-country comparison," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 34-55.
    43. Xia, Dehua & Shi, Junfeng, 2024. "Individual investors’ online voice and corporate environmental information disclosure," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    44. Liang, Jinma & Zhang, Yicheng & Li, Yuanheng, 2024. "The role of ESG scores in ESG fund performance and institutional investor selection," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    45. Zihao Zhou & Shanlang Lin & Jianfeng Shi & Junpei Huang & Xiaoxin Han, 2024. "Can Mega Sporting Events Promote Urban Green Transformation? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-18, July.
    46. Ng, Alex & Zheng, Di, 2018. "Let's agree to disagree! On payoffs and green tastes in green energy investments," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 155-169.
    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. Chaudhry, Neeru & Gupta, Aastha, 2024. "Impact of using derivatives on stock market liquidity," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. 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).
    3. Jacob, Tinu Iype & Paul, Sunil, 2025. "Product market power, informational asymmetries and stock liquidity: Evidence from Indian firms," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    4. Jia Jia Hing & Yee Peng Chow, 2022. "Influence of institutional investor heterogeneity on stock liquidity and its underlying liquidity channels," International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 14(3), pages 252-278.
    5. Meskat Ibne Sharif, 2023. "Parametric test of liquidity wavering in response to the dynamic equity constituents," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-26, January.
    6. Ngoc Bao Dinh & Van Nguyen Hong Tran, 2024. "Institutional Ownership and Stock Liquidity: Evidence From an Emerging Market," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, March.
    7. Ling, Chuanqi & Dong, Dayong & Yang, Jinyu & Cao, Jiawei, 2025. "In government-supported academic institutions we trust: Enterprise postdoctoral programmes and stock liquidity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA).
    8. Roy, Partha P. & Rao, Sandeep & Zhu, Min, 2022. "Mandatory CSR expenditure and stock market liquidity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Lim, Kian-Ping & Thian, Tze-Chung & Hooy, Chee-Wooi, 2015. "Corporate Shareholdings and the Liquidity of Malaysian Stocks: Investor Heterogeneity, Trading Account Types and the Underlying Channels," MPRA Paper 67602, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Muhammad Sadil Ali & Shujahat Haider Hashmi, 2018. "Impact of Institutional Ownership on Stock Liquidity: Evidence from Karachi Stock Exchange, Pakistan," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 19(4), pages 939-951, August.
    11. Hoang Vu, Ngan & Dang, Ha V. & Nguyen, Hung T. & Pham, Mia Hang, 2025. "Upholding integrity: The influence of executives’ backgrounds on corporate information environment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    12. Wang, Xiaoqiong & Wei, Siqi, 2021. "Does the investment horizon of institutional investors matter for stock liquidity?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Zhongfei Chen & Yu Xiao & Kangqi Jiang, 2023. "Corporate green innovation and stock liquidity in China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(S1), pages 1381-1415, April.
    14. Pham, Mia Hang, 2020. "In law we trust: Lawyer CEOs and stock liquidity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    15. 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).
    16. repec:hur:ijaraf:v:4:y:2014:i:2:p:62-75 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Nadia Belkhir Boujelbene & Abdelfatteh Bouri & Jean-Luc Prigent, 2014. "Corporate Governance and Market Microstructure: Evidence on Institutional Investors in the Tunisian Stock Exchange," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 4(2), pages 58-71, April.
    18. Muhammad Ansar Majeed & Irfan Ullah & Samia Tariq & Tanveer Ahsan, 2025. "Does brand capital improve stock liquidity? Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 382-404, January.
    19. Kale, Jayant R. & Loon, Yee Cheng, 2011. "Product market power and stock market liquidity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 376-410, May.
    20. Fujun Lai & Qiong Wu & Deping Xiong & Sha Zhu, 2024. "How Foreign Institutional Investors’ Ownership Affects Stock Liquidity? Evidence from China," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, June.
    21. Wang, Kai & Li, Tingting & San, Ziyao & Gao, Hao, 2023. "How does corporate ESG performance affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:eee:finlet:v:89:y:2026:i:c:s1544612325026054. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    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.