This paper is motivated from previous work in the area of bank interest rate and dividend policy, and we went further to figure out whether there is any association between interest rate changes and the stock market's reaction to dividend announcements. To conduct this research paper, we used 61 Bangladeshi banks out of 66 banks (excluding central bank) from the period from 2010-2021. After using three different types of estimations (OLS, two stage least squared and GMM) we found that when savings interest rate and dividend increase stock market react positively and our result show that stock market react negatively when savings interest rate and dividend decrease. On the other hand, our results show that when loan interest rate and dividend increase stock market react more negatively and if loan interest rate and dividend decrease stock market react more positively.

Due to some of the limitations of monetary measures, various non-monetary approaches for assessing household wealth have been developed as alternative tools for classifying household socio-economic status. Among them, wealth indices based on household durable assets are being used. The literature revealed that two basic methods of constructing wealth indices are employed: an unweighted method, where assets are weighted equally; and a weighted method, where specific weights are assigned to assets. In the case of using the weighted method, weighting can be assigned using various techniques. The overall objective of the study is to compare the wealth indices constructed by using weighted and unweighted methods for assessing the socio-economic status of households in rural Bangladesh. Firstly, the study attempts to construct wealth indices based on durable assets using the unweighted method and two techniques of the weighted method: weighted index using the inverse of proportion, and weighted index using principal component analysis (PCA). Following this, the study compares some distributional characteristics of these indices as well as monetary indicators. At the same time, the study evaluates and examines some attractive properties of these indices such as the extent of clumping and truncation, consistency with traditional monetary measures. Comparative analysis revealed that the unweighted asset index, as well as weighted asset index using PCA, can be treated as an efficient alternative to the monetary measures to evaluate the living standard of the households in the present study. However, due to some advantage's asset index using PCA can be considered to be somewhat better than the unweighted index. But, as the unweighted asset index is not very different from the weighted asset index using PCA, it can also be used as an alternative to the monetary measures without the need to use weighting.

The Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in a new age in the world. We are still grappling with the implications in various areas of our everyday lives. The impulsive buying habits of consumers, the supply chain, and the whole industry are not exceptions. Consumers and supply chains were both unprepared during the early stages of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The procurement of utilitarian products was referred to as panic buying. The study examined using exploratory studies on several individuals in the eight selected Islamic countries who have been panic buying in coronavirus-affected areas and have faced regional constraints. The data apply on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in eight selected Islamic countries, three hundred sample finally selected, and a good number of volunteers supported in this study. The results have shown that a drastic financial effect on the economy where purchasing power and remittance inflow declined, inflation goes up and precaution for lockdown, whereas impulsive buying goods tendency increased due to misinformation, and panic buying immensely impact in the economy. The decision-making process has shifted, preventing financial burdening, rising saving patterns, and unwelcoming unhealthy consumption. Moreover, visible psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. These studies concluded with a policy recommendation providing the results.

Purpose: Several studies have attempted to explain the integration of sustainable development in business school curricula. However, little is known about who (male students vs female students), at which age (under 21, 21–25 and 26–30) and at which stage of their undergraduate education (freshman, junior or senior) can attain and retain an adequate understanding of sustainability in accounting education. For this reason, the present study aims to investigate the students' interest in sustainability in accounting with respect to their demographic factors.Design/methodology/approach: The study used a quantitative research design where data were collected at a single point in time. Further, an independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and factorial design were performed on 132 responses conveniently collected from accounting students in the College of Business Administration (COBA) at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.Findings: The study found no differences between the attitudes of male and female students toward sustainability in accounting education. Similarly, no statistical differences were found in the three age categories identified in this study. However, significant results were found throughout the different academic classifications (seniority): freshman students, junior students and senior students. Further, differences in the mean scores for freshman and junior accounting students were different between the male and female students, indicating that both male and female senior students' attitudes toward sustainability in accounting education were higher than those of male and female freshman and junior accounting students. The study concluded that students achieve an adequate understanding of sustainability in accounting education related to the relativism category of the Perry model of intellectual development.Originality/value: Literature on attitude of students toward sustainability in education, specifically accounting education, is questionable and needs further exploration. This is due to the fact that only a small number of accounting students have been exposed to sustainable accounting education. Similarly, a recent study found a significant deficiency in sustainable accounting education in four Saudi Arabian universities, with only 4.5% of respondents knowing the comprehensive definition of sustainable development and 88% respondents having very low to low familiarity with the term sustainability.

Despite increasing attention to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, evidence on how board governance characteristics influence ESG outcomes in emerging markets remains limited. This study examines the impact of board governance attributes on ESG performance in publicly listed firms across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Using a balanced quarterly panel of 67 firms from 2017 to 2024, the analysis combines fixed- and random-effects estimations with a dynamic panel Vector Autoregressive (PVAR) framework. A composite ESG index is constructed using Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis. Model selection is supported by Hausman and Pesaran–Yamagata tests, while dynamic relationships are explored through local projection impulse response functions and panel causality analysis. The results show that board tenure, board independence, and board meeting frequency exert significant positive effects on ESG performance, highlighting the importance of experience, monitoring quality, and board engagement. In contrast, board size and the proportion of women in senior management are negatively associated with ESG outcomes, suggesting that formal governance mechanisms may be ineffective when substantive influence is constrained. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of context-specific governance structures for advancing ESG performance in emerging markets.

FinTech enhances financial inclusion by providing easy access to financial services and affordability for the unbanked population. This study aims to examine how the use of FinTech promotes financial inclusion in Pakistan, considering digital financial literacy as an influencing variable and perceptions of support from financial regulations as a moderating factor. The research investigates individual adoption of FinTech and the benefits of easier access to official financial services. Data was collected from 600 users of financial technology in Pakistan and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that trust, quality of service, and security positively influence FinTech usage in Pakistan. FinTech facilitates greater participation of underserved communities in financial services by reducing access costs. The study demonstrates that digital financial literacy bridges the gap between financial technology and broader financial inclusion, with perceptions of supportive regulations further strengthening this relationship. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers, regulators, and FinTech businesses operating in Pakistan.