So why are retail investors all of a sudden front and center? Blame coronavirus. People stuck at home or out of a job decided to step up their investments. And while the professionals like to complain about retail investors, some research shows they may have helped keep markets afloat when the pandemic hit. According to researchers at UVA and the University of Zurich, retail investors came to the rescue when professionals fled the market in February, on a small scale providing liquidity and helping stabilize the market.