The efficiency of banking sector is considered most important for the economic growth, monetary policy implementation and macroeconomic stability. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of interest rate fluctuations on the profitability of banks. Thus, annual data of seven years from 2007 to 2014 has been taken for 20 banks operating in Pakistan. The sample banks are taken on the basis of highest market share and return. To make substantially noteworthy results study uses Correlation and Regression analysis in order to evaluate the impact of interest rate changes (INT), deposits with other banks (DWOB), advances and loans (ADV) and investment (INV) over the profitability indicators; return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and earnings per share (EPS). The result shows that deposits with other banks and interest rate are negatively affecting the profitability of banks, while advances and loans and investment are having positive influence over profitability of banks.

The present study attempted to understand how financial performance can be enhanced in the financial sector. Therein, the study worked to find out how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and organizational engagement can be used to predict financial performance. In addition, the study also tested the moderating role of organizational engagement on the relationship between CSR and financial performance. Managerial level employees from seven retail banks in Bahrain were sampled for the present study. The results of the structural equation modelling reported significant impact of CSR on financial performance. Accordingly, the study also reported significant relationship between organizational engagement and financial performance. Notably, the study also reported significant moderation of organizational engagement on the CSR and financial performance relationship. The study forwards notable implications for theory and practice followed by scope for future studies.

Investigating if the market is efficient is an old issue as market efficiency is imperative for channeling investments to best-valued projects and its importance endures. There is contradictory evidence in the literature provided by empirical researches. The primary purpose of this research has been to find out whether share prices are a random walk process by applying multiple unit root tests, Runs Test and newly developed State Space Model. The empirical findings of the study provide sufficient evidence that the stock prices of KSE 100 Index, S & P BSE 500 Index, and CSE All Share Index is not a random walk process and are thus weak form inefficient hypothesis. In this study, the concept of the random walk is examined considering only the stock markets while bypassing the other asset markets. This research supply exciting facts about independent samples from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh and complement the existing literature on emerging markets.DOI: 10.15408/etk.v17i2.7102

Investor’s irrationality is an inevitable reality that has been time and again highlighted by researchers (Statman, 2008). Therefore, this study is another effort to assess the role of behavioral biases in financial decision making in Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).A survey questionnaire is designed and used to collect responses using convenience sampling technique from sample of 250 investors of PSX. Behavioral biases include overconfidence, over thinking, herding, cognitive bias, and hindsight effect of investors. Multiple regression models are used to test influence of five behavioral biases on investment decision. The results show that overconfidence, over thinking, herding, cognitive bias, and hindsight effect have significant positive impact on investment decision. Overall results conclude that much change in investment decision is due to behavioral biases. This study will help financial advisors to better advice their clients. The one way to reduce these biases may be education and training of investors.

Energy scarcity is the core drain for the South Asian economies. However, there is a lack of studies in relation to the capital structure determinants in the context of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Thus, this study is an attempt to explore the capital structure determinants of energy sector firms which are operating in the four large economies of the SAARC region that are Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In this context, a total of 34 energy sector firms’ Panel Data is entailed over the period of 2007-2020. The six key capital structure determinants, namely asset tangibility, current ratio, return on equity, non-debt tax shield, annual gross domestic product are examined in relation to debt to total asset ratio. Deploying Panel Data Static models and Dynamic model via Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), the outcomes reveal that asset tangibility and current ratio are the most prominent determinants among all others. The significant role of profitability and tangibility through different estimators directly infers the relevance of Dynamic Trade-Off theory. The findings provide new ways for policy makers to construct parallel strategies which not only help out in overcoming the energy scarcity issues but also enhance regional level integration.