We investigate the empirical nexus between financial inclusion and economic growth for an extended sample of 21 Asian countries spanning over a period from 2004 to 2019. Further, we also conducted a sub-sample analysis by dividing the overall samples into developed and developing countries. Our results reveal a significant positive long-term impact of financial inclusion on economic growth in Asia. Our pair-wise causality test shows bidirectional causality between financial inclusion and economic development. Our robust results are consistent across various estimation techniques. Our findings suggest that the influence of financial inclusion on economic growth is more pronounced in developing countries compared to developed countries. Our results hold across subsamples. These findings posit important policy insights to enable the policy-makers in designing policies that ensure efficient and inclusive financial system on an equitable basis to achieve sustainable economic growth. JEL classification: O16; O57; C38; C33

The nexus between financial inclusion and carbon emissions is becoming an increasingly important topic, given the augmented awareness of the negative impacts of climate change and carbon emissions on the environment and human health. In this study, we examine the impact of financial inclusion on carbon emissions using the STIRPAT framework for 102 countries from 2004 to 2020. We measure financial inclusion as a composite index, using principal component analysis (PCA) from five financial inclusion proxies. Our robust panel regression estimations suggest an N-Shaped relationship between financial inclusion and carbon emissions. The N-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) implies that the impact of financial inclusion on carbon emission is nonlinear and changes from an inverted U-shaped to a U-shaped. This finding is strong in developing countries and weak in advanced countries. It is also robust across our two normalized measures of financial inclusion as well as across different estimation techniques. These findings suggest adapting a universal environmental strategy that enhances financial inclusion through strong and accessible financial systems, particularly for low-income countries. Our results further suggest that government authorities and policymakers need to develop well-directed and inclusive financial policies that consider the varying levels of governance, regulations, and income across countries.

We aim to investigate the empirical nexus between carbon emissions and financial inclusion for a panel of 74 countries from 2004 to 2020 based on the environment kuznets curve (EKC). Using the advanced panel data analysis framework of Driscoll-Kraay, Generalised linear model, and Prais-Winsten test for the entire sample and heterogeneous subsamples, we document an inverted U-shape relationship between carbon emissions and inclusive financial system. Notably, an inverted U-shape relationship is established in developed, emerging and frontier economies except in standalone economies. Furthermore, the analysis of region-wise subsamples reveals that nonlinear relationship varies across regions. The heterogeneous response of financial inclusion in curtailing environmental degradation provides vital policy insights. It suggests that financial inclusion can be used as a mitigation measure based on well-structured and robust regulatory and legal frameworks. These frameworks would create synergy effects of financial inclusion in designing policies and addressing issues related to sustainable development and climate change.

We examine the impact of corporate governance on cash holdings and the interplay of family ownership on this relationship through static and dynamic panel estimation models. Composite indicator for the corporate governance based on several proxies related to corporate board structure and ownership is constructed using principal component analysis (PCA). Our evidence is based on a sample of 120 publicly listed non-financial firms from Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) over the period 2013–2017. The selected sample is further divided into family and non-family firms based on 10% or more ownership. We document the negative impact of corporate governance on cash holdings. The findings reveal that family ownership as a moderator weakens the impact of corporate governance mechanism on cash holdings. The analysis of individual proxies of corporate governance and cash holdings in the whole sample, as well as sub-sample, provides some new insights that family firms with more board size, board independence, and institutional shareholdings hold more cash as compared to non-family firms. The study theoretically supports the agency theory. The study suggests that individual market participants may make investment decisions thereby keeping in view the role of family ownership. The study also provides better insights to regulatory authorities to design policies in such a way that ensure the protection of minority shareholders as corporate cash holdings decisions are different in family and non-family firms.