Sustainable finance (SF) has become the most important factor of modern financial systems as growing evidence suggests that traditional finance often overlooks environmental damage, social inequality, long-term systemic risks and market efficiency, a concern that is particularly important in developing countries such as Pakistan, where institutional constraints, environmental challenges and energy inefficiency pose significant challenges to long-term financial sustainability. Therefore, this study investigates whether the role of female empowerment (FE) helps in iadvancing sustainable finance (SF) in Pakistan with the moderating effect of political stability (PS). The study uses annual time-series data from 1991 to 2024 and employs a static [...]

This study investigates the dynamics and forecasting performance of the Ukrainian exchange rate against the US Dollar using a range of time-series and econometric models. Monthly data covering the period from 2010 to 2024 are employed for model estimation, while 2025 observations are forecasted to evaluate out-of-sample predictive accuracy. Prior to empirical analysis, unit root tests based on bothAugmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillips–Perron approaches are applied to ensure stationarity of the variables. Linear time-series dynamics are examined using ARIMA modeling, whereas nonlinear and asymmetric long-run and short-run relationships with key macroeconomic fundamentals are explored through the Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) [...]

The aim of this research is to examine how internal financial management techniques are associated with better financial performance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. The research is theoretically informed by management control and contingency theory and seeks to examine the impact of sophistication in budgeting and management control systems on financial performance for SMEs in Pakistan. Financial decisions’ quality is considered as a mediator between management control systems and financial performance. Moreover, it also seeks to examine if competitive intensity moderates the relationship between financial decisions’ quality and financial performance. Data for this research is collected from [...]

This study examines the relationship between Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) use and university students critical thinking ability from a human capital economics perspective. Existing research has largely focused on GenAI technical capabilities and adoption patterns, leaving two important issues unresolved: first, whether GenAI use strengthens or weakens critical thinking, and second, through what cognitive mechanism these opposing outcomes occur. The study further investigates cognitive engagement as a mediating mechanism through which GenAI-related factors influence critical thinking. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory, the study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through convenience sampling using a structured questionnaire administered [...]

The paper examines the relationship between investor sentiment, audit committee characteristics, and stock price crash risk using a sample of non-financial companies listed on the KSE-100 Index from 2010 to 2025. Stock price crash risk is measured using negative conditional skewness (NCSKEW) and down-to-up volatility (DUVOL), while investor sentiment is represented by the price-earnings ratio, overnight returns, turnover rate, dividend premium, and closed-end fund discount. Audit committee effectiveness is assessed through independence, financial expertise, meeting frequency, committee size, and gender diversity. Using panel regression analysis, the study incorporates firm-level control variables, including blockholders, return on assets, financial leverage, and firm [...]