The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) tries to ensure the integrity of commodity and financial futures markets. It protects the public and market users from fraud, manipulation, and abusive practices while fostering an open marketplace for trading commodity futures as well as foreign currency, US and foreign government securities, and US and foreign stock indices. CFTC develops trading policy, conducts research, evaluates filings, investigates fraud and manipulation, and prosecutes violators from offices in New York; Minneapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; and Washington, DC. Congress created the independent agency in 1974.