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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically explore the financial well-being (FWB) of Malaysian households and to construct a subjective FWB index with present and future time perspectives.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 1,867 respondents across five major regions in Malaysia. Adapting the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-being (IFDFW) Scale by Prawitz et al. (2006) and the method of computing an index by Devlin (2009), this study develops an FWB index using subjective measures that include future time perspectives (retirement). The index was employed to measure the FWB across low-, middle- and high-income groups and socio-demographic characteristics.FindingsThis study finds evidence that Malaysians' FWB is at an average level (46.8). Middle-income households' FWB (46.1) flanks between the financial well-being index (FWBI) levels of the low-income (37.4) and high-income households (58.7). Across age groups, education levels and employment sectors, the FWB of Malaysians significantly varies, although not across different ethnics, religions, zones and residential areas. Overall, the results suggest that the detrimental effects of FWB are perceived by all Malaysian households nationwide regardless of their religion, ethnicity and residential areas.Practical implicationsThe results of this study complement the other well-being indices used by policymakers and may serve as a useful input for government and policymakers for them to formulate appropriate strategies to promote higher FWB of Malaysian households based on their socio-demographic characteristics.Originality/valueThis study used primary data and developed a subjective FWB index that leverages on people's perceptions of their own financial well-being while including present and future time perspectives. The main contribution of this paper is to construct an index that is easily interpretable and that complements the existing FWB indices, and to identify the segments of society that have low vis-à-vis high FWB.

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The life expectancy rate of individuals worldwide has risen, and Saudi Arabia is not excluded. Rising long-life expectancy may jeopardize employees’ pensions and reduce the chances of adequate earnings and a decent life after retirement. Moreover, the number of employees, who have paid into pension funds and are now retired, has increased, indicating that pension funds are expected to decrease. Apart from the above, the level of financial literacy in Saudi Arabia was substandard. Therefore, the ultimate objective of this research is to examine the measurable factors that could impact employees in their financial planning for retirement (FPR). These factors comprise the employee’s financial literacy (FL), financial risk tolerance (FRT), and cultural factors based on the CWO model. Moreover, this study aims to investigate the mediating roles of culture in their relationship with financial planning for retirement. Primary data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-July 2020 until the end of January 2021 using a non-probability convenience sampling approach involving 525 participants. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used to analyze the data. To determine the type of study variables, either a formative or reflective model of Confirmatory Tetrad Analysis (CTA-PLS) was used. The results show the significant influence of basic FL, FRT, and culture on FPR. Moreover, it shows the critical role of culture among those with advanced FL and FRT. Previous studies have examined FL and FRT in FPR without considering the effect of culture as a mediator.

Purpose The term “Shariah compliance” states that a firm conducts business activities within the boundaries stipulated by Islamic law. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine whether a firm’s Shariah compliance helps in reducing firm-specific stock price crash risk (SPCR). Design/methodology/approach Using the data of 10,391 firm-year observations of non-financial public listed firms in Malaysia from 2001–2017, this study uses the panel data estimation technique for regression analysis. Moreover, a series of alternative estimations has been applied to check the consistency of results. Findings The findings reveal a significant negative impact of firms’ Shariah compliance on SPCR. The results indicate that Shariah-compliant (SC) firms are less likely to hoard bad news, ultimately reducing SPCR. The results also unveil a possible mechanism through which SC firms reduce SPCR. The findings reveal that SC firms are less likely to be involved in earnings management, which reduces the risk of a stock price crash in SC firms. It highlights the behavioral differences in financial reporting between SC firms and Shariah non-compliant (SNC) firms. Practical implications This research adds to the existing literature of Islamic capital markets from the perceptive of SPCR. The SPCR exhibits a tail risk of the stocks and is very important for risk management and investment decisions. The findings of this study will help risk-averse investors to include SC firms in their investment portfolios for risk minimization. The results also guide policymakers and regulatory bodies to rethink the monitoring mechanisms of publicly listed firms. Originality/value This study is unique, as it highlights that firms’ Shariah compliance reduces SPCR.