Akanksha Dua & Simarpreet Khurana, Kirit P. Mehta School of Law
INTRODUCTION
Many puzzles arise in a market with a diverse set of investors – large institutions, small retail investors, liquidity suppliers, and high-frequency traders. What factors influence trading speed? What is the relationship between market microstructure and price time series properties including momentum and excess volatility? What is the situation? What is the price effect of large trades, and how important is it for optimal execution? What do you mean by transactions? Is it true that phenomena like front-running are harmful to people's welfare? In present scenario when front running has got the limelight, answering these questions and addressing related concepts has become all the more pertinent.
Front running, also known as tailgating, is a prohibited practise in which a broker trades a security based on prior knowledge of non-public information about a large transaction that has the ability to adjust the price of assets, equity, or derivatives in order to achieve an economic advantage. Broadly elucidating, in the stock market, front running refers to the unlawful practise of buying or selling securities ahead of a large order (“Big Client Order”) in order to profit from the resulting predictable price movement after the execution of such Big Client Order. In addition to these, there are some commonly referred definitions, with legal authorities:
Firstly, we must consider the definition mentioned in Major Law Lexicon by P Ramanatha Aiyar:1 Front running – “Buying or selling securities ahead of a large order so as to benefit from the subsequent price move.” This definition applies to market participants who are anticipating a major deal in the immediate future and are expecting parties to step in their favour. Illegal private dealing by a broker or market-maker who has advanced notice of a major price movement to come.
