The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hedging functionality of Chinese financial markets.

In this paper, we investigate both constant and time-varying hedge ratios in terms of the effectiveness of CSI300 index futures during the COVID-19 crisis. Using naïve, OLS and EC/ROLS strategies to estimate constant hedge ratios, results indicate that the CSI300 spot index presents decreased effectiveness using the naïve hedging strategy; however, increased effectiveness of OLS and EC hedge ratios are identified. Differential behaviour is identified when considering five newly introduced COVID-19 concept-based stock indices. Time-varying hedge ratios indicate the weakened effectiveness, ranging between 20% and 40% variance reduction. Evidence suggests that the capability of the CSI300 index futures to hedge against the risks of the COVID-19 is impaired, regardless of whether constant or time-varying hedge ratios are used. Such results provide important implications to both local and foreign investors in the Chinese stock market.

Cryptocurrency liquidity and volatility interrelationships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We examine the interactions between cryptocurrency price volatility and liquidity during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence suggests that these developing digital products have played a new role as a potential safe-haven during periods of substantial financial market panic. Results suggest that cryptocurrency market liquidity increased significantly after the WHO identification of a worldwide pandemic. Significant and substantial interactions between cryptocurrency price and liquidity effects are identified. These results add further support to the argument that substantial flows of investment entered cryptocurrency markets in search of an investment safe-haven during this exceptional black-swan event.

Any port in a storm: Cryptocurrency safe-havens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Controlling for the polarity and subjectivity of social media data based on the development of the COVID-19 outbreak, we analyse the relationships between the largest cryptocurrencies and such time-varying realisation as to the scale of the economic shock centralised within the rapidly-escalating pandemic. We find evidence of significant growth in both returns and volumes traded, indicating that large cryptocurrencies acted as a store of value during this period of exceptional financial market stress. Further, cryptocurrency returns are found to be significantly influenced by negative sentiment relating to COVID-19. While not only providing diversification benefits for investors, results suggest that these digital assets acted as a safe-haven similar to that of precious metals during historiccrises.