Xiaolu Hu

Xiaolu Hu is an Associate Professor in Finance at RMIT University's School of Economics, Finance and Marketing. She joined RMIT in 2018 after completing her PhD in Finance there, following prior roles as a portfolio manager and credit rating analyst in China. Her research focuses on empirical corporate finance, asset pricing, bond markets, machine learning applications, and sustainable finance, with notable publications in journals like Journal of Corporate Finance and Energy Economics. She has attracted over $350,000 in research grants and leads the RMIT Financial Markets and Sustainability Group.

Education:

• PhD in Finance, RMIT University (2017)
• Master of Finance, Tsinghua University (2011)
• Bachelor of Finance, Central University of Economics and Finance (2008)

Research Interests:

• Credit Rating, Fixed Income, Machine Learning in Finance, ESG Integration
• Emerging Markets, Sustainable Finance, Corporate Finance

Recent Research Trends: Her work explores how environmental factors (e.g., air pollution) and geopolitical events (e.g., trade wars) impact financial markets, alongside leveraging machine learning for credit risk and portfolio management. Key themes include ESG disclosure effects, green bonds, and systemic risk in Chinese markets.

Awards:

• Best Paper Award 2023 (AFAANZ)
• Dean’s Research Excellence Award (2023)
• Rozetta Best Paper Prize (2021)

Advising & Grants: Supervised over 10 research projects on topics like ESG integration, green sentiment, and credit risk modeling. Collaborates with financial institutions and has secured significant external/internal grants.

Labs/Teams: Leads the RMIT Financial Markets and Sustainability Group, focusing on sustainable finance and ESG-related research.