Tax & Regulation
What is SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission)?
The SEC is the primary US capital markets regulator, established in 1934 after the 1929 crash. It oversees public company disclosure (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K filings), enforces securities laws, regulates exchanges and broker-dealers, and protects retail investors.
Formula
Established: 1934 (Securities Exchange Act). Headquarters: Washington, DC. Companion regulator: FINRA (self-regulatory organization for broker-dealers).
How to Interpret
All US-listed public companies must file detailed reports with the SEC via the EDGAR system (free at sec.gov/edgar). Insider transactions (Form 4), proxy statements (DEF 14A), and material events (8-K) are powerful primary sources for investors. The SEC's Indian counterpart is SEBI; the broker-dealer self-regulator FINRA roughly maps to India's stock exchange regulators.
Typical Ranges
N/A, regulatory body. Use SEC EDGAR (free) for primary-source company research before buying any US stock.