We examine whether the difference in governance structures influences the risk taking and performance of Islamic banks compared to conventional banks. Using a sample of 52 Islamic banks and 104 conventional banks in 14 countries for the period from 2005 to 2013, we conclude that the governance structure in Islamic banks plays a crucial role in risk taking as well as financial performance that is distinct from conventional banks. Particularly, we show that the governance structure in Islamic banks allows them to take higher risks and achieve better performance because of product complexities and transaction mechanisms.However, Islamic banks maintain a higher capitalization compared to conventional banks.These results support the research on Islamic investment and risk taking. Our results add a new dimension to the governance research that could be a valuable source of knowledge for policy makers and regulators in the financial services sector.

This paper examines country specific herding behavior in European liquid constituent indices for the period of 2001-2012. While we report insignificant results for the whole period, we document significant herding behavior during crises and asymmetric market conditions. Particularly, herding effect is pronounced in most continental countries during the global financial crisis and Nordic countries during the Eurozone crisis. However, PIIGS countries are the victims in both crises. Furthermore, we find evidence that the cross sectional dispersions of returns can be partly explained by the cross sectional dispersions of the other markets, with Germany having the greatest influence on the regional cross-country herding effect. Apprehensions heighten among the regulators, policy makers, and investors in the European markets for the herding behavior during volatile market conditions. JEL Classification: G01, G12, G15

This study re-examines the impact of ESG (economic, environmental, social, and corporate governance performance) on the financial performance of UK firms. Most recent sample of 351 firms from FTSE350 for the time period 2002-2018 is used. The study estimates the impact of total ESG and individual dimensions of ESG on corporate financial performance using static and dynamic panel data techniques, and it also examines the impact of high and low ESG on firm financial performance. Further, the study investigates the role of firm size as a moderator in the relationship between ESG and firm financial performance. The results of total ESG performance indicate that ESG has a positive and significant impact on firm financial performance. However, in the case of the individual ESG performance, the results are mixed. Overall, the results confirm that high ESG firms show high financial performance as compared to low ESG firms. Results indicate that firm size moderates the relationship between ESG performance and firm financial performance.

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