Do Islamic stocks outperform conventional stocks during crisis periods? A global comparison

Purpose: This study examines the performance of Islamic and Conventional stock indices during the Covid-19 pandemic crises. The aim of the study is to find the existence of safe havens in Islamic stock indices. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses mean and cumulative return values and the GARCH (1 1) model to examine the volatility performance of stock returns and the impact of Covid-19 on both indices. Findings: Our findings indicate that Islamic stock indices tend to outperform conventional indices during crisis periods, particularly in developing economies and in the short term. However, conventional stock indices exhibit stronger performance in the long run and post-crisis periods. Moreover, the study reveals that the effects of Covid-19 cases and deaths on both indices vary across countries. Additionally, Islamic stock returns demonstrate lower volatility compared to previous shocks and returns, whereas conventional indices experience higher volatility, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, the s tudy establishes that I slamic indices can serve as safe havens for investors in certain countries, but not universally. Research limitations/implications: The study can be extended and more effective by adding more crisis events and a number of years to examine long-term stock moments. The study can be helpful for investors in designing investment portfolios, especially in times of crisis where the majority of investors try to find safe havens for investment. Originality/value: This study is the first to examine the impact of recent crises on Islamic and conventional stock indices in the world's big stock markets. The study is also the first one to use the longest data period among the recent studies to differentiate the performance of Islamic and conventional indices.