Purpose This paper aims to explore the impact of liquidity risk, credit risk, funding risk and corruption on bank stability of the banking system in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis is confined to 24 retail banks, which include 5 Islamic and 19 conventional banks during the period of 2007-2015. Findings The findings of this study suggest that bank size, liquidity risk, funding risk and corruption exert a positive impact on bank stability. Additionally, the authors find a negative relationship between credit risk and bank stability. Originality/value As per the knowledge of the authors, the present research is the first attempt that discusses the issues of bank stability related to risk and corruption faced by the banking system.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of foreign aid (FA) on corruption in selected Asian countries (Pakistan, India, Srilanka and Bangladesh) using the panel data from 2000 to 2014. Design/methodology/approach The author used Levin-Lin-Chu and Im-Pesaran-Shin panel unit root tests to check the stationary properties of the variables. The Pedroni’s and Kao panel cointegration approach was applied to analyze the variable’s long-run relationship. The author used panel dynamic ordinary least squares (PDOLS) and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) framework to estimate the coefficients of cointegrating vectors. Additionally, the panel granger causality test was performed to check the causal relationship between the variables. Findings The results from PDOLS and FMOLS indicate that FA has a significant negative impact on the level of corruption. This infers that the foreign assistance decrease the level of corruption perception index, hence, more corruption in the country. Originality/value Overall, the study fulfills the need to understand the aid-corruption nexus, particularly in the case of the Asian region.

This study explores the benefits associated with the international portfolio diversification among BRICS-P economies. The dynamics of the globe are changing, and the economic transformations have made the emerging economies a prominent center for investments. The possibility of international diversification among the BRICS-P economies may help the investors in maximizing their utilities by earning a higher return with a given level of risk. To assess the benefits of diversification and to explore the long term and short tern dynamics of the selected stock markets, this study uses Auto Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) approach. The findings show that substantial portfolio diversification benefits exist when the funds of Brazil, Russia, South Africa and China are merged. The study also found that Pakistan and India's funds are co-integrated, and that the prospect of diversification exists if the funds of these two economies are mixed. The results will help the investors in constructing their portfolios by merging the funds of the selected economies, because having a diversified portfolio leads to better risk return performance than having a portfolio with only native funds.