Insider Trading
Trading in a company's securities while in possession of unpublished price-sensitive information about it.
How it is identified
Test: the person is an insider, possesses unpublished price-sensitive information, and trades or communicates it without a legitimate purpose
Unit
qualitative
In depth
SEBI's regulations define an insider broadly — connected persons and anyone in possession of unpublished price-sensitive information, whether or not they obtained it improperly. Companies must maintain a structured digital database of who received such information, close the trading window before results, and require designated persons to pre-clear trades and disclose them. Possession is the test rather than use, so a person holding such information cannot trade even if they claim to have decided independently. Penalties include disgorgement, monetary penalty and prohibition from the market.
Worked example
An employee learning of a results announcement before publication is barred from trading until the information is public and a stated period has passed. Passing it to a relative who trades makes both liable, whether or not money changed hands.
Illustrative figures, chosen so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Not a live price and not a valuation of any company.
Educational reference only
This entry explains what “Insider Trading” means. It is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any numbers above are illustrative, not live prices, and nothing here predicts price direction or rates a stock. Consider your own circumstances and consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before acting.