China's top court is expected to release new judicial interpretations this year to help define criminal conduct involving market manipulation and illegal trading using insider information in the securities market, the national industry regulator said on Wednesday.

Relevant legal guidance that involves civil compensation is also being studied, the release of which can better protect investors' interests and ensure a fairer trading environment, according to a senior official with the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

China's securities market has long been plagued by manipulation and "rat trading", as some brokers and high-level managers of financial institutions use inside information acquired on the job, reaping illicit gains and affecting share prices.