Sovereign bonds and flight to safety: Implications of the COVID-19 crisis for sovereign debt markets in the G-7 and E-7 economies

This study investigates the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for sovereign debt in the G-7 and E-7 economies and explores the notion of sovereign bonds as a safe haven. Using a set of panel regression and dynamic connectedness TVP-VAR approaches, our results reveal that the impact of COVID-19 global case numbers on sovereign bonds has been contingent on the level of the country's financial and economic development. More precisely, our findings suggest that G-7 countries, where economic development is typically higher, have seen a negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on sovereign bond yield: sovereign 10-year bond yields declined as the number of COVID-19 global confirmed cases increased in G-7 countries. However, in E-7 countries, where economic growth and development are typically lower, sovereign bond yields responded positively to the initial increase in COVID-19 global confirmed case numbers, but this positive effect is not statistically significant. We also find that the G-7 and E-7 economies have a strong time-varying connectedness in relation to their bond markets and this effect is more pronounced in G-7 economies. Daily Infectious Disease Equity Market Volatility is likely to be the strongest predictor of total connectedness. Concomitantly, we shed new light on the predictive power of the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths, and the Daily Infectious Disease Equity Market Volatility Tracker on the interdependence of these sovereign bond markets. Overall, this paper highlights the heterogeneous effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on sovereign bond yields in G-7 and E-7 countries and the notion that the developed economies, with their developed sovereign bond markets, are still seen as a safe haven during times of crisis. © 2023 The Authors

A new three-term conjugate gradient method with application to regression analysis

Conjugate gradient (CG) method is well-known for its ability to solve unconstrained optimization (UO.) problems. This article presenting a new CG method with sufficient descent conditions which improves the former method developed by Rvaie, Mustafa, Ismail and Leong (RMIL). The efficacy of the proposed method has been demonstrated through simulations on the Kijang Emas pricing regression problem. The daily data between January 2021 to May 2021 were obtained from Malaysian Ministry of Health and Bank Negara Malaysia. The dependent variable for this study was the Kijang Emas price, and the independent variables were the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures (i.e., new cases, R-naught, death cases, new recovered). Data collected were analyzed on its correlation and coefficient determinant, and the influences of COVID-19 on Kijang Emas price was examined through multiple linear regression model. Findings revealed that the suggested technique outperformed the existing CG algorithms in terms of computing efficiency. © 2022 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.

Spatial Study on How COVID-19 Affects the Indonesian Rice Markets Integration: Period of March to July 2020

This study applied the co-integration tests with daily rice prices from 25th July 2016 to 2nd July 2020. The dummy variable in this study is based on the initial COVID-19 case in Indonesia, which was confirmed on 2nd March 2020. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rice prices transmission in several regions of producers (Surabaya and Semarang) and consumers (Serang, Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta) markets in Java, Indonesia. Analysis data used is the average daily price in a wholesale market and a group of traditional markets. Error correction model estimation results show an integration among the rice markets and the long-term equilibrium adjustment process, which is relatively slow. However, this study's empirical results confirm that implementing the COVID-19 control program in the short-term does not cause changes in rice prices currently in Jakarta. © 2021 RIGEO. All Rights Reserved.

The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on rice market performance in Java, Indonesia

Applying the multivariate cointegration tests with daily prices during the period August 15, 2019, to August 11, 2020 (250 data), this paper examines whether prices in the rice deficit market (Jakarta) are co-integrated with prices in surplus markets (Semarang and Surabaya). Research data is the average daily price in traditional markets in Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya. The main focus is on the effect of implementing various programs and policies relating to controlling the spread of COVID-19 to the integration of the rice market in Java. On March 02, 2020, the first two COVID-19 cases in Indonesia were confirmed as a dummy variable that we use regarding controlling borders between regions and restricting the movement of goods. The cointegration tests find that the domestic rice prices of Jakarta - Semarang and Jakarta - Surabaya are integrated both in short-run and long-run periods. In the short term, programs and policies relating to controlling the spread of COVID-19 do not affect the integration of Java's rice market. One reason is that during the pandemic, the rice supply chain's performance was still protected by the government to maintain the stability of rice supply for the citizens. © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.

A mini-review of computational approaches to predict functions and findings of novel micro peptides

New techniques in bioinformatics and the study of the transcriptome at a wide-scale have uncovered the fact that a large part of the genome is being translated than recently perceived thoughts and research, bringing about the creation of a various quantity of RNA with protein-coding and noncoding potential. A lot of RNA particles have been considered as noncoding due to many reasons, according to developing proofs. Like many sORFs that encode many functional micro peptides have neglected due to their tiny sizes. Advanced studies reveal many major biological functions of these sORFs and their encoded micro peptides in a different and wide range of species. All the achievement in the identification of these sORFs and micro peptides is due to the progressive bioinformatics and high-throughput sequencing methods. This field has pulled in more consideration due to the detection of a large number of more sORFs and micro peptides. Nowadays, COVID-19 grabs all the attention of science as it is a sudden outbreak. sORFs of COVID-19 should be revealed for new ways to understand this virus. This review discusses ongoing progress in the systems for the identification and distinguishing proof of sORFs and micro peptides. © 2020 Bentham Science Publishers.