The regulatory objectives of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are to ensure that the commodity futures and option markets remain competitive and respond to underlying supply and demand factors by detecting and preventing threats of price manipulation, abusive trading practices, fraud, and other market disruptions, safeguarding the financial soundness of those markets, and providing for appropriate customer protection of those who trade on those markets. Futures markets that are free of manipulation and other anticompetitive forces can most effectively perform their vital economic functions of price discovery and risk transfer. To these ends, the Commission's objectives include protection of customer funds, ensuring the financial integrity of regulated intermediaries, and protection of customers from abusive trade practices.