Cumulative Prospect Theory and Expected Return in Tehran Security Exchange

This paper aims to investigate the application of Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) and its effect on return in Tehran Security Exchange. The Barberis and Huang (2008) model is used in this paper which predicts that if traders in the stock markets have cumulative prospect theory preferences then the positively skewed stocks should on average have lower returns. Research statistical population consists of 89 companies of Tehran Stock Exchange during 2007 to 2012. Two measures of expected stock skewness are used that consist of past skewness and group skewness. The results show that past skewness is better predictor to expected skewness than group skewness. Furthermore, there is a significant negative relationship between skewness measures and return that verify the Barberis and Huang (2008) model in Tehran Security Exchange.