Quantile connectedness between Sukuk bonds and the impact of COVID-19

The purpose of this study is to investigate the return connectedness in the median, left, and right tail, using the novel methodology of quantile-based connectedness proposed by Ando et al. (2018). We use daily data covering the period from 1 January 2013 to 27 October 2020, which includes different financial crises occurring in GCC, Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Furthermore, analysing the dynamic connectedness, the Sukuk market was significantly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings reveal that the spillover structures in both upper and lower tails differ from those observed in the middle quantile. Finally, we find that Bahrain, Malaysia, Oman, and Qatar transmitted more spillovers than they admitted during the COVID-19 outbreak. These findings offer vital implications for regulators and policymakers, investors, traders, and portfolio managers regarding whether diversification across Sukuk indices is achievable during turbulent periods like COVID-19.