Measuring financial resilience with consumer sentiment data from India

Purpose: Covid-19 sparked new interest in consumer financial resilience (CFR) amongst regulatory authorities, financial institutions, policymakers and the academia. No financial and health crisis has been worse than Covid-19, erasing the growth momentum of nations at all development stages. This study measures consumers' current financial resilience and future expectations within India's emerging market and its likely response to policy measures. Design/methodology/approach: CFR is investigated using individual household data on economic state, employment, income and savings from the Reserve Bank of India's consumer confidence survey. The empirical approach is based on the temporal time-series data with mixed frequency regression. Consumers' current and future expectation indices appear as the regressand, whereas credit-deposit ratio, credit outstanding, number of bank accounts and digital transactions act as main regressors. Findings: The response of consumers' current situation is 3.50 times higher than that of their future expectations. This implies that a rise in the credit-deposit ratio and credit line positively affects CFR. In contrast, a higher number of bank accounts, a proxy for financial inclusion, adversely affect consumer's well-being possibly owing to the government's failure to provide financial support through banking networks. Digital payments (value) positively affect consumers' current situation and future expectations. Practical implications: The results of this study inform policy formulation for enhancing financial resilience. Consumer sentiment index acts as a proxy for CFR. Originality/value: Financial resilience is a concern for policymakers. This study is one of the first studies linking CFR with financial inclusion, credit creation and digital financial capability. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

ANOSMIA AND AGEUSIA IN PATIENTS WITH COVID-19

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and diagnostic significance of anosmia and ageusia among COVID-19 positive patients of Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Dr Ruth K. M. Pfau Civil Hospital, (Dow University of Health Sciences), Karachi Pakistan, from Jan 2021 to Feb 2021. Methodology: The data were collected prospectively from 265 COVID-19 positive patients. Some patients were interviewed over the telephone, while for patient's ease, an online Google form was also formed, facilitating the online data collection. The patient's demographics, comorbidities, allergies, and COVID-19 associated characteristics were inquired. The statistical analysis was performed on SPSS version 23. Results: The observed frequency of anosmia and ageusia in COVID-19 patients was 49.1% & 43.8% respectively. The median time to recovery was 8-8.5 days (median) for both symptoms. We found no significant difference for gender, BMI, marital status, residential area, comorbidities and reason for long-standing breathing difficulties between patients with or without both anosmia and ageusia (p>0.05). Furthermore, most of the cigarette smokers reported none of the two symptoms (anosmia and ageusia), 24% and 25.2% of COVID-19 positive cases with smoking history were presented without anosmia and ageusia, respectively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Loss of sense of smell and taste was reported in almost half of the studied population infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Therefore, screening for anosmia and ageusia must be considered while COVID-19 suspicion as an important diagnostic clue. © 2021, Army Medical College. All rights reserved.

In Silico Approach in Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Virus Protein Mpro Using Fungal Metabolites

To find a cure for Covid-19 has been a constant struggle, and one field that goes unexplored is the possibility of using fungal metabolites as a remedy. As fungal metabolites are known to showcase a wide range of biological activities, with this set insight, the present research goes on to explore fungal metabolites as a means to find a drug for treating Covid-19. WithIP: protease182.75.148.10enzyme On: asThu,the 07 mainApr focus,2022 many14:16:09antiviral compounds/metabolites from various fungal species were screened, then made to udergo various in Silico activities. In this study, 18 Copyright: American Scientific Publishers fungal metabolites with antiviral properties were extracted from the antibiotic database and then put through Delivered by Ingenta molecular docking with the help of software such as AutoDock Vina and PyRx. The drug-likeness properties were analyzed using pkCSM. There were five likely chemicals against the Mpro enzyme of COVID-19, which are (Chromophilone I, iso, F13459, Stachyflin, acetyl, Chromophilone II, iso and A-108836). Molecular Dynamics simulations helped achieve a hit, Chromophilone I. Naturally obtained Phyto-compounds will help establish a dependable medication or support lead identification, which was achieved by utilizing existing strategies. In Vitro and in Vivo studies can be conducted to analyze further the effectiveness of the identified hit against Covid-19.

Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Use of Herbal Supplements as Effective Constituents Against COVID-19 Among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students of Najran University: A College Based-Cross Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia

COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 208 million people and accounted for more than 4.5 million deaths worldwide. In our present study, Najran university (NU) students’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards COVID-19 was assessed using twenty, ten and eight-item scale questions respec-tively. Similarly, use of herbal and nutritional supplements to protect and cure against COVID-19 infections was measured including type, source of information and factors enforcing the use of such supplements. Addi-tionally, students shared their beliefs about immune enhancing potential of various nutritional components. SPSS package was used to perform statistical analyses. A total of 94 (67%) responses were obtained from male undergraduate pharmacy students. The students with good knowledge, positive attitude and proper practice towards COVID-19 were 29.6%, 85.2%, and 72.8%. respectively. Almost half of students used some herbal and nutritional supplements as protective measure against the COVID-19 infection. As forecasted, honey (34.6%), ginger (33.3%), and vitamin C (32.1%) were the most commonly used supplements. More than half students believe that using garlic (60.5%), black seeds (53.5%), citrus fruits (53.1%), and ginger tea (50.6%) will boost the immunity. Considering the fact that in-campus teaching has resumed in Saudi Arabian universities, amalgamate with peers would be common, hence adequate level of KAP towards COVID-19 is essential. Perhaps, getting COVID-19 vaccine shots are mandatory to attend in-campus classes in Saudi Arabia, still following precautionary measure are obligatory.

On the relation between the crude oil market and pandemic Covid-19

Purpose - The crude oil market has experienced an unprecedented overreaction in the first half of the pandemic year 2020. This study aims to show the performance of the global crude oil market amid Covid-19 and spillover relations with other asset classes. Design/methodology/approach - The authors employ various pandemic outbreak indicators to show the overreaction of the crude oil market due to Covid-19 infection. The analysis also presents market connectedness and spillover relations between the crude oil market and other asset classes. Findings - One of the essential findings the authors report is that the crude oil market remains more responsive to pandemic fake news. The shock of the global pandemic panic index and pandemic sentiment index appears to be more promising. It has also been noticed that the energy trader's sentiment (OVX and OIV) was measured at a too high level within the Covid-19 outbreak. Volatility spillover analysis shows that crude oil and other market are closely connected, and the total connectedness index directs on average 35% contribution from spillover. During the initial growth of the infection, other macroeconomic and political events remained to favor the market. The second phase amidst the pandemic outbreak harms the global crude oil market. The authors find that infectious diseases increase investor panic and anxiety. Practical implications - The crude oil investors' sentiment index OVX indicates fear and panic due to infectious diseases and lack of hedge funds to protect energy investments. The unparalleled overreaction of the investors gauged inOVXindicates market participants have paid an excessive put option (protection) premium over the contagious outbreak of the infectious disease. Originality/value - The empirical model and result reported amid Covid-19 are novel in terms of employing a news-based index of the pandemic, which are based on the content analysis and text search using natural processing language with the aid of computer algorithms.

A Cross Section Assessment Study on the Awareness of COVID-19 during the Onset of the Pandemic among the Urban Population of Saudi Arabia

This study was aimed to seek out the awareness and knowledge about the covid-19 during the onset of the pandemic among the urban population of the Saudi arabia. This study was carried out for a period of three months from 01.04.2020 to 31.07.2020 and a sample of 1000 participants. The significant difference of P-value obtained by performing the Pearson Chi-Square test for all he questionnaires to analyse the study of assessment. This study was a small attempt for conducting such valuable studies in preventive medicine. Thus, this study suggests that the community's overall satisfactory report is well aware of the preventive measure procedures and well prepared to tackle the covid-19 pandemic.

Does disease outbreak news impact equity, commodity and foreign exchange market? Investors' fear of the pandemic COVID-19

Purpose: Market volatility is subject to good or bad news and even responses to fake news and policy changes. In this piece of work, the authors consider the effects of the recent COVID-19 pandemic event on the global equity market, commodities and FX market, measured in terms of the investors' fear index. Design/methodology/approach: In this empirical work, the authors employ time series-based regression models followed by augmented dummy regressions and growth of the COVID-19. Findings: COVID-19-induced investors' fear appears to be higher in the equity segment for the first time since the market crash of 1987 and the global financial crisis of 2008–2009. Furthermore, this disease outbreak shock has been more pronounced in terms of crude oil prices. Besides, a market participant in the commodity and FX market has paid a disproportionate premium to protect such pandemic development. Findings show that Options act as the best hedge against an uncertainty like COVID-19 and that option-based implied volatility is the best measure of investors' fear and market volatility. Practical implications: This study has practical implications for the financial markets, e.g. (1) Contagious disease outbreak news matters for the equity, commodity, and foreign exchange markets – empirical outcome validates the theory of market efficiency valid for the Options. (2) Option's implied volatility is the best indicator of investor fear measured for the unprecedented economic news. Further implication holds for the policymakers and society, e.g. (1) The unavailability of short-selling could be one plausible reason for increased uncertainty and volatility;hence, policymakers should look upon this issue at the exchange level. (2) Any market needs multiple lines of risk management, effective price discovery and attractive liquidity. Originality/value: The study is novel in terms of presenting market behavior amid COVID-19 across global equity markets and commodities and FX markets. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the energy markets

This article aims to uncover the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy markets in terms of energy stock indexes, energy futures, ETFs, and implied volatility indexes. We model the volatility of energy markets and demonstrate the effects of various phases of the pandemic outbreak (COVID-19) on the energy market. COVID-19-induced uncertainty indicators like the growth of the infection, economic policy uncertainty (EPU), and infectious diseases market volatility (IDsMV) have shown pronounced effects on energy markets’ historical volatility. The volatility of energy ETFs–stocks appears to be more resilient in line with S&P 500 energy stocks. WTI crude oil market has shown an unprecedented overreaction amid pandemic outbreaks and traded with an extreme volatility level. The investors’ sentiment in the energy market was factually higher on the tail events, indicating that fearful investors rushed toward put options and paid an excess premium to protect from unparalleled risk in the energy market. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.