Exploring What Drives Indian Stock Market During Covid-19: Fads or Fundamentals

Description

This book analyses the dynamics of Indian stock market with a special emphasis during the period following emergence of Covid-19. Coming from the instability in stock market following Covid-19, it delves deeper into the dynamics and unfolds the causal relationship between various economic fundamentals and the stock prices. Observing short-term herding in the stock market following Covid-19, the book's finding suggests that investors in the Indian stock market made investment choices irrationally during Covid-19 crisis periods. It also showcases how the stock market became inefficient following the emergence of pandemic and did not follow the fundamentals. Interestingly, the findings suggest no relationship between stock returns and real economic activities in India. The format of presentation makes the book well suited not only for students, academics, policy makers and investors in the stock markets, but also people engaged or interested in business and finance. The book would thus be of interest to both specialists and the laity. Analysis contained in this book will help different readership groups in different ways. Researchers from economics and finance disciplines will be able to learn about frontiers in the theoretical paradigms discussed in the book; advanced econometric techniques applied in the book will also be useful for their own research. The macroeconomic insights, and insights from behavioural economics, can expand the knowledge of corporate sector, useful in making real life decisions. Finally, it will help policy makers, like SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), to formulate appropriate regulatory policies so as to minimize possibility of speculative bubbles as experienced during the pandemic period in the Indian stock markets. Foreword Preface Contents About the Author 1 Introduction 1.1 Financial Development and Economic Growth: The Role of the Stock Market in the Debate 1.2 Stock Market in India: The Scenario Since the Economic Reforms 1.3 Structure of the Book References 2 Impact of Covid-19 on the Stock Market and Corporate Firms in India 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Trends in BSE Sensex and FII 2.3 Covid-19 Shock, Stock Price Reactions, and Firms’ Resilience 2.4 Conclusion References 3 Covid-19 and Short-Term Herding in the Indian Stock Market: An Exploratory Analysis 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Literature Review 3.3 Methodology 3.4 Data 3.5 Empirical Analysis 3.6 Conclusions References 4 Stock Markets, Investment, and the Real Economy: An Analysis of Firm-Level Data in India 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Empirical Methodology 4.3 Data 4.4 Empirical Estimation 4.5 Robustness Analysis 4.6 Conclusion Appendix: Variable Definitions References 5 Effects of R&D Investment on Stock Returns: An Analysis of Indian Publicly Listed Firms 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Literature Review 5.3 Data and Variables 5.3.1 Data 5.3.2 Variables 5.4 Empirical Analysis 5.4.1 Effects of R&D Expenditures on Stock Returns 5.4.2 Effects of R&D Intensity and Volatility on Stock Returns 5.5 Conclusion References 6 Stock Returns and Real Economic Activities: Is There a Connection in India? 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Brief Review of Earlier Literature 6.3 Data 6.4 Empirical Estimation 6.5 Conclusion References 7 Conclusion