The impact of inflation on general and green bonds<i>:</i> Evidence from Taiwan bond market
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Green bonds are typically used for environmental protection projects. This paper explores the differences between general bonds and green bonds in Taiwan, as well as the impact of inflation. The findings are as follows: First, because green bonds support environmentally sustainable development projects, which require a longer time to realize their environmental benefits, they require longer repayment periods. Second, most green bonds have lower coupon rates than general bonds, indicating that investors are willing to accept lower interest income for the sake of environmental sustainability. Third, because green bonds invest in environmental protection projects with lower returns, investors also demand higher risk premiums due to relatively higher recovery risks. Finally, after inflation occurs, the increase in green bond coupon rates is less than that of general bonds. Inflation may have different effects on the dividend yields of individual companies, but there is no significant difference for the overall industry.