Relationship between Social Interaction of Individual Investors and Stock Market Participation Decision among Secondary School Teachers from Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

Stock market is beneficial to the general economy and individual investors. Regardless of the benefits of stockholding few individuals participate in the stock market. Many researches have tried to provide explanation for the observed limited individual investor stock market participation. The study sought to explain the low individual investor participation by investigating the relationship between social interaction and individual investor stock market participation decision among secondary school teachers in Nakuru County. The study employed explanatory research design. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires from a sample of 320 teachers' selected using stratified proportionate random sampling technique. The research findings found that social interaction has a significant positive relationship with stock market participation decision of secondary school teachers in Nakuru County. The study concludes that that social interaction of individual investors has a significant relationship with stock market participation decision among secondary school teachers from Nakuru County. The study recommends teachers focusing on investment in stocks should affiliate themselves with investment groups with an orientation to stocks investments where they can have access to investment advice.