Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the nation's securities industry. It monitors transactions, as well as the activities of financial professionals. Its mission is to promote fairness, integrity and transparency; prevent fraud and other deceptive acts; and ensure orderly and efficient markets.

The SEC was launched following the stock market crash of 1929. The agency was part of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which was designed to bolster confidence in capital markets. It provided corporate and retail investors with reliable information and required that individuals and corporations deal with each other fairly and honestly.

Source: https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/Securities-and-Exchange-Commission-SEC