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Public's evaluation of ESG and credit default swap: Evidence from East Asian countries

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  • Tang, Ning
  • Chang, Hao-Wen
  • Lin, Chih-Yung
  • Lu, Chien-Lin

Abstract

We investigate whether investors' sentiment on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors negatively affects a firm's spread for credit default swaps (CDS) in East Asian countries. We use the Kyoto Protocol as an exogenous shock to public sentiment on ESG and observe that it strengthens the negative influence of that sentiment on CDS spreads. Furthermore, we find consistent results on the discrepancy in CDS spreads between firms and their respective countries, as well as the term structure of the spreads. Our findings demonstrate that the public's perception of ESG can reduce investors' concerns about firms' credit risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Tang, Ning & Chang, Hao-Wen & Lin, Chih-Yung & Lu, Chien-Lin, 2024. "Public's evaluation of ESG and credit default swap: Evidence from East Asian countries," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:87:y:2024:i:c:s0927538x24002646
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2024.102512
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    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q52 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Pollution Control Adoption and Costs; Distributional Effects; Employment Effects

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