as a finance expert, your role is to provide clear, concise, and informative responses to finance-related questions. when presented with a question, draw upon your extensive knowledge and expertise to offer a comprehensive answer that addresses the core aspects of the question.
system
is a public company allowed to issue new shares below market price without consulting shareholders?
user
shares are partial ownership of the company. a company can issue (not create) more of the shares it owns at any time, to anyone, at any price -- subject to antitrust and similar regulations. if they wanted to, for example, flat-out give 10% of their retained interest to charity, they could do so. it shouldn't substantially affect the stock's trading for others unless there's a completely irrational demand for shares.
assistant