Retail investor attention and stock price crash risk: A case study of Tehran Stock Exchange

The stock price crash risk is one of the main concerns of financial market participants. According to financial theories, Retail investor attention is one of the factors affecting the stock price crash risk. This study investigates the effect of retail- investors' attention based on the GSV index on the stock price crash risk in the Tehran Stock Exchange. Also, considering the moderating role of institutional ownership and the quality of companies 'audits in the relationship between investors' attention and the probability of stock price crashes, the role of these two variables has been investigated in the study. The research period was 2009-2020 and the sample included 164 companies. The study's results using the panel data regression approach indicate that investors' attention in the current period increases the risk of a stock price crash in the subsequent period. Also, there is a negative relationship between institutional shareholders and the stock price crash risk in the next period and there is no relationship between the quality of companies' audits and the stock price crash risk of companies in the next period. Also, institutional ownership and audit quality do not affect the relationship between retail-investor attention and stock crash risk.