Modeling Stock Yield Reaction to Environmental Changes: Does Geopolitical Risk Matter? A VECM Framework in China

Mohammad I. Elain (), Mariam AlSabah (), Ahmad Al Saber (), Jiazhu Pan (), Mohammed Ali () and Naser Boresli ()
Additional contact information
Mohammad I. Elain: College of Business and Economics, Finance Department, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Salmiya, 00965, Kuwait,
Mariam AlSabah: Abdullah Al Salem University, Kuwait,
Ahmad Al Saber: College of Business and Economics, Management Department, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Salmiya, 00965, Kuwait,
Jiazhu Pan: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G1 1XH, UK,
Mohammed Ali: College of Business and Economics, Finance Department, American University of Kuwait, P.O. Box 3323, Salmiya, 00965, Kuwait,
Naser Boresli: Reconnaissance Research Institute, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 2026, vol. 16, issue 2, 1083-1096

Abstract: This paper examines the impact of air pollution on stock market performance, emphasizing geopolitical risk as a mediator. It explores how air pollution's health effects disrupt investor behavior and financial market dynamics, with geopolitical risk bridging the relationship between air quality, emissions policies, and stock performance, thus highlighting the interplay between environmental and financial systems. This study employs the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to analyze both short-term and long-term dynamics among the regressors. Using updated data from A-share listed firms on the Shanghai Composite Index, covering the period 2012-2021, the analysis is supported by rigorous stationarity and cointegration tests to ensure the robustness and reliability of the findings. The long-term results indicate that air pollution and geopolitical risk significantly influence stock yield volatility, with deviations from equilibrium gradually corrected over time. In the short term, there is a significant Granger causality between stock yield and both air pollution and geopolitical risk, highlighting their combined impact on stock market performance. The study shows that air quality index negatively affects stock yield by depressing investor sentiment and driving irrational behaviors, emphasizing its role as both a social challenge and a key driver of financial market stability and economic development.

Keywords: Air Pollution; Geopolitical Risk; Stock Yield; Vector Error Correction Model; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.32479/ijeep.22895

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