Carbon Pricing and Stock Performance: Evidence from China’s Emissions Trading Scheme Pilot Regions

Abstract

This paper examines a sample of 167 publicly listed enterprises covered by eight regional pilot emissions trading markets in China from 2013 to 2023. Our empirical findings indicate that the carbon price returns negatively affect the stock returns of enterprises covered by the regional markets, with the Shenzhen and Guangdong regions suffering a more pronounced effect. Furthermore, high-carbon-intensity enterprises are more susceptible to this negative impact than their low-carbon-intensity counterparts. The robustness of the negative relationship is evident even after the national emissions trading market opened on July 16, 2021. This study provides insightful guidance for policymakers to regulate emissions trading markets.