Abstract:
Frequent political uncertainty, governance challenges, financial inaccessibility, and inconsistent policy environments in South Asian countries undermine investor confidence and obstruct the development of capital markets. Thus, this study is motivated to investigate the long-term and short-term consequences of financial inclusion and political stability on capital market participation in South Asian countries. We used a panel ARDL model as the estimates demonstrated no cross-sectional dependence, considerable cointegration, and variables with mixed-level stationarity. The results highlighted financial inclusion, literacy, and savings as the most significant determinants influencing capital market participation in South Asian economies. Interestingly, while political stability did not show a direct long-term effect, its indirect influence through variables such as investor confidence and institutional trust warrants further exploration. The findings suggest that policymakers should prioritize expanding financial inclusion initiatives, improving financial and general literacy rates, and adopting policies that encourage a balanced-saving-investment behavior among citizens to strengthen capital markets.
