Religiosity vs. well-being effects on investor behavior

•Does religiosity impact the trading of securities in financial markets?•We use an original identification strategy to disentangle a religiosity effect from a well-being effect.•We compare the stock market reaction to sukuk and bond issuance during the holy month of Ramadan.•We find that sukuk issuance during Ramadan is valued more positively than bond issuance.•We support the view that religiosity influences the behavior of investors.

Does religiosity impact the trading of securities in financial markets? We separate two channels that could affect investor behavior, disentangling a religiosity effect from a well-being effect. Our original identification strategy compares the stock market reaction to sukuk and bond issuance during the holy month of Ramadan, allowing for a differentiated stock market reaction to the religious component of a trade. Using the event study methodology, we measure abnormal returns for a sample of 2140 issuances by 133 issuers in Malaysia over the period 2000-2013. While we find evidence for both channels, sukuk issuance during Ramadan is valued more positively than bond issuance by stock market investors. Further, the positive reaction to sukuk issuance during Ramadan only rewards firms which issue sukuk exclusively. Our findings support the view that religiosity influences the behavior of investors, suggesting that this factor should be taken into account in the analysis of financial markets.