The effect of COVID-19 in European union on the performance of Indonesian publicly listed palm oil companies

Abstract

One of the leading industries that affect economic growth in Indonesia is the palm oil industry. The role of this industry depends on the level of exports from European Union countries. Based on the COVID-19 pandemic situation, international trade activities are hampered and could affect industry performance from a stock perspective. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impact of the COVID-19 cases that occurred in the European Union and related macroeconomic variables on the stock performance of the oil palm industry in Indonesia. This research also examines the impact of COVID-19 on certified sustainable companies and companies that are not certified. Panel regression was applied in this study with Eviews 11 Software.This research's observations are 13 palm oil companies in Indonesia which are listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) from March 2, 2020, to August 31, 2020. This study's results reveal that the world CPO prices and market capitalization affect the activities shares of palm oil companies in Indonesia.Meanwhile, from the grouping of certifications within companies, the impact of COVID-19 in the European Union was more substantial on companies that were certified as sustainable. Based on these results, The COVID-19 case in the European Union must be a concern for palm oil companies in Indonesia.