In which scenario is a public company employee allowed to trade on insider information without violating laws?

The correct answer is that an independent securities analyst explaining expected earnings declines does not constitute a violation of insider trading laws. This situation is legal because securities analysts operate independently and are not affiliated with the company. Moreover, the information provided by analysts is typically available to the public and represents an analysis rather than confidential insider information.

When a company employee receives information from a source that is independent, such as an analyst, they are not trading on material nonpublic information, and thus they are not violating insider trading laws. This analysis is based on publicly available data and metrics about the company’s performance.

In contrast, the other scenarios involve situations where the information is likely to be nonpublic and material, which could lead to insider trading violations. For example, if a colleague shares earnings projections, that information typically has not been disseminated publicly and could impact the stock price significantly once made public. Similarly, overhearing information at a public event could also lead to insider trading if that information has not been disclosed to the general public. Lastly, an email from management that discusses potential financial difficulties clearly contains confidential information meant for select company personnel and using that information to trade would violate securities laws. Hence, the scenario with the independent securities analyst stands out as permissible under insider trading