Biotech executive Matthew Panuwat bought options on another drug company's stock and earned a windfall of $120,000.
The Securities and Exchange Commission now says he committed insider trading, even though he didn't buy his employer's stock and didn't have inside information about the company he bet on.
The case, which goes to trial next month, has become the latest test of insider trading law. Congress has never defined what it means, leaving regulators and courts across the country to decide what qualifies, a volatile process that sometimes leads appellate courts to rein in what they see as excesses.
Defense lawyers have dubbed Panuwat's case the first involving "shadow insider trading," a label that describes executives making well-timed bets in the shares of other companies. The SEC alleges Panuwat purchased options tied to the shares of Incyte, a rival drugmaker because he knew they would pay off when the market heard Pfizer was buying his company, Medivation, in 2016.
No court has ever tackled the idea that executives can go too far when they deploy their specialized knowledge or expertise to trade in the shares of rivals, said Karen Woody, a professor at the Washington and Lee University School of Law.
"I do think this is a push of the law and they are seeing if they can get a court to bless what is a bit of a stretch of the existing parameters," Woody said of the SEC's case.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 22, 2024-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 22, 2024-Ausgabe von Mint Mumbai.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
7 myths about ADHD and how to handle it
Some adults with ADHD are misdiagnosed as having anxiety or depression as myths prevail even in the medical community
Why women bear the brunt of misdiagnosis
Girls are half as likely as boys to be diagnosed correctly as having ADHD, show studies
At these international marathons, it's ready, steady, swig
Can running and drinking go together? From France to Scotland, here are five races where running is a merry party
Indian IT firms should brace for Trump's second term
Restrictive visa, trade and other policies under Trump 2.0 may force a review of their US-centric business models
Freebies don't offer a long-term solution but let us not ban them
Keeping citizens dependent on handouts is not fiscally sustainable. India needs a transparent framework to regulate them
Is Nvidia's chief dreaming of selling us R2-D2-like robots?
It may turn out to be a good bet if the chip-maker keeps its risks low
Two ways the EPFO can get itself an image boost
India's state-run retirement fund would do itself a favour by resolving its high level of claim rejections and speeding up interest payments. Its digital makeover should signal efficiency
Forex card vs debit card: How to lower cross-border markup fees
Unlike debit cards, forex cards are not linked to your bank account, limiting your exposure to fraud and theft
India must reassess its rejection of the RCEP trade bloc
Joining it can work in our favour as global trade barriers get reshaped and value chains are forged
Armed hostility between Israel and Iran is very likely to escalate
Israel senses a high-risk high-return chance to reshape West Asia that Trump might green-light