Insider Trading and Policy Makers

Numerous members of Congress and senior Capitol Hill employees have repeatedly broken the STOCK Act. However, the repercussions are negligible, sporadic, and not made public. If authorities ever paid the fines, there are no records in the public proving it.

Insider trading is a hotly disputed topic in the financial industry that presents ethical and legal questions about the use of non-public information for financial advantage on the stock exchange. The practice of insider trading undermines the principles of fair competition and transparency by exploiting insider knowledge or privileged information to make successful transactions on the stock market.

The stock market is governed by the principle of transparency, which mandates that all pertinent information regarding a company's performance be made public. This enables investors to make well-informed judgments based on the same information and levels the playing field for all participants. However, insider trading undermines this idea by providing certain persons with an unfair advantage through the use of non-public knowledge. This creates an imbalanced playing field and undermines public confidence in the stock market.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforces securities laws and regulates the stock market. The SEC considers insider trading to be fraudulent because it undermines investor confidence in the market and the companies in which they invest. Additionally, insider trading distorts the market, reducing investment and potentially damaging the economy as a whole.

Insider trading is not just immoral but also unlawful. The SEC enforces regulations against insider trading to safeguard investor interests and preserve market integrity. Insider trading is punishable by fines, imprisonment, and disbarment from the securities business, among other serious consequences.

It is essential to remember that the definition of insider trading does not restrict its application to corporate insiders alone. It can also include acquaintances, relatives, and anybody with access to private information. Insider trading can take several forms, including the purchase or sale of shares based on non-public information, the tipping of others with the knowledge, and the simple dissemination of the information.

Insider trading is prohibited because it is unethical and contradicts the stock market's values of fair competition and openness. The SEC is responsible for enforcing laws against insider trading to safeguard investor interests and preserve market integrity. By adhering to these ethical norms, the stock market can continue to serve as a vital source of finance for firms. To preserve the credibility and integrity of the market, it is crucial for individuals to comprehend the repercussions of insider trading and to act ethically and responsibly.

Policy makers often see future impact on the economy by policy that is scheduled to go into play long before the public is made aware of said changes. Selling stock a month before a company that will later be sued by the Federal Government because an anti trust law is by many definitions considered insider trading. But alas, we see policy makers out performing our generations greatest investors on the regular. One may wonder how they have so much time to study markets when they are so busy making policy?

Solutions are many. Policy makers willing to self limit their own ability to trade stocks are few. It would be best if policy maker's trades be made public the day of the transaction.