FINANCIAL INDUSTRY REGULATORY AUTHORITY FINRA

A regulatory body created after the merger of the National Association of Securities Dealers and the New York Stock Exchange's regulation committee. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is responsible for governing business between brokers, dealers and the investing public. By consolidating these two regulators, FINRA aims to eliminate regulatory overlap and cost inefficiencies.

Originally, FINRA was known as SIRA, or the Securities Industry Regulatory Authority. However, complaints were made about the name, noting that it sounded very similar to the Arabic term "Sirah", the traditional term for biographical texts about Muhammad.