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Insider trading: The role of internal governance and legal regulation

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  • Wang, Yu
  • Zhang, Shan

Abstract

Insider trading hurts the interest of external investors. Based on A-shared listed firms on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange throughout 2012 to 2022, this study finds strong evidence that corporate internal governance and legal regulation help lower insider trading behavior. The results are robust to multiple sensitivity analyses. Moreover, we also show that corporate information disclosure is a key economic channel underlying the relationship we identified. Overall, this study contributes to the literature on corporate finance and law by gaining insights into the implications of internal governance and legal regulation for insider trading behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Yu & Zhang, Shan, 2025. "Insider trading: The role of internal governance and legal regulation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325000546
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.106789
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zou, Xu & Huang, Zhifan, 2025. "Executive marketing background, information transparency and stock price volatility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(PE).
    2. Zhang, Lu & Wu, Hao, 2025. "Suppression or rebound? How does legal construction influence corporate violations?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    3. Fang, Fei & Meng, Chong & Tang, Zhenyang & Veeren, Parianen, 2025. "Insider risk aversion and trade informativeness: evidence from pre-option-grant selling," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    4. Hsueh‐Tien Lu & Guang‐Zheng Chen, 2026. "Corporate labor investment decisions and insider trading," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(1), January.
    5. Ding, Zhiguo & Liu, Xinmiao & Ding, Yuyang, 2025. "How information structure shapes insider valuation bias: Evidence from insider selling in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PD).
    6. Han, Su & Mei, Jiangqiao & Deng, Jianguang, 2025. "Does internal compliance auditing increase corporate value? The influence of accounting information quality and agency problems," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(PG).

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