See Also:
Secondary Market
Securities Act of 1933
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
Primary Market
Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX)

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 deals with the regulation of secondary market transactions, or outstanding securities in the market (which can be traded on a daily basis). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulates this act.

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Meaning

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 was established after the stock market crash of 1929 – the following Great Depression. The 1934 Securities Exchange Act is meant to provide meaningful and relevant information to the average investor. This ensures that the investor is not mislead in anyway so that they are able to make well informed decisions. The Securities Exchange Act regulations include the need for quarterly and annual audits by an accounting firm. These accounting firms then attest to the accuracy of the statements.
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 thus ensures that there is no fraud that exist within the company. It also deals with insider trading. If an investor has information that is non-public in nature then, then under the 1934 Securities Exchange Act, he/she may not act on it until the information has gone public. The idea is to provide a fair and equal market so there are no unusual transactions to set the market adrift.