This study analyzes the interconnection of the stability of prominent stablecoins including Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), Paxos Standard (PAX), TrueUSD (TUSD) and DAI from 23/11/2019 to 1/04/2021. We find (i) market price fluctuations vary across stablecoins, (ii) instabilities in USDT and USDC significantly drive those of other stablecoins but less convincing evidence for the reverse impact, and (iii) that increases (decreases) in USDT market prices significantly depress (raise) the market prices of the other stablecoins. Interestingly, the algorithmic stablecoin, DAI, is found to be less stable than its USD-backed counterparts.

This study examines the impact of environmental regulation on the Singapore stock market using the event study methodology. Several asset pricing models are used to estimate sectoral abnormal returns. Additionally, we estimate the change in systematic risk after the introduction of the carbon tax and related regulation. We conduct various robustness tests, including the Corrado non-parametric ranking test, the Chesney non-parametric conditional distribution approach, a representation of market integration, and Fama–French five-factor model. We find evidence showing that the environmental regulations tend to achieve their desired effects in Singapore in which several big polluters (including industrial metals and mining, forestry and papers, and electrical equipment and services) were negatively affected by the announcements of environmental regulations and carbon tax. In addition, our results indicate that the electricity sector, one of the biggest polluters, was negatively affected by the announcement of environmental regulations and carbon tax. We also find that environmental regulations seem to boost the performance of environmentally-friendly sectors whereby we find the alternative energy industry (focusing on new renewable energy technologies) experienced a sizeable positive reaction following the announcements of these regulations.

The ongoing trade war (or at least dispute) between the US and China has its roots in the early 2000s when American politicians and economists started complaining about the US trade deficit with China. Accusing China of wrong-doing, as far as the US trade deficit is concerned, is based on the three propositions that the yuan is undervalued against the dollar, that the trade deficit is caused by currency undervaluation, and that Chinese trade and exchange rate policies are illegal or at least immoral, designed to promote Chinese exports and obstruct imports. These propositions are examined critically, and empirical results are produced to show that the revaluation of the yuan and the imposition of tariffs will not produce the desired results.

We consider the performance of cryptocurrencies in the light of fundamental asset pricing and portfolio theory. We observe how a traditional focus on reducing asset return volatility with Markowitz diversification misses the significance of such volatility for growth. The recognition that asset growth is more likely subject to exponential or continuously compounding growth characteristics reveals that asset volatility can be exploited both across assets and across investment periods to deliver superior returns.