Swedish Shareholders' Association Sveriges Aktiesparares Riksförbund - is an independent organisation working in the interests of private individuals who invest in stocks, mutual funds and other stocksrelated securities. Swedish Shareholders' Association is an independent organisation working in the interests of private individuals who invest in stocks, mutual funds and other stocks-related securities. Aktiespararna was founded on 5th February 1966 and over the years has evolved from having a membership of around 100 at the start to around 72 000 members in the autumn of 2009. Activities began on a modest scale and were based on voluntary efforts. Today the association is represented throughout the country. 1972 saw the foundation of the association's first local section. The number of local sections currently numbers over 151, all of which are run through the voluntary efforts of the members. Aktiespararna now has a subsidiary, the service company Aktiespararnas Service AB, which in turn has another subsidiary, an investment company, Aktiesparinvest AB. The association's activities are divided into three different areas: Defending the small shareholders rights, keeping track of matters concerning individual stock ownership, corporate and stockmarket law and the taxation of stocks, attending annual general meetings on behalf of members, giving legal advice to members and conducting lobbying activities; Information and education, which includes producing the magazine Aktiespararen and providing education and information and publishing of books. This section also deals with the organisation of local meetings, theme days and company visits and provides stockmarket advice; Stock trading services provided through Aktiesparinvest, the indexfund Aktiespararna Topp Sverige. In 1990 the youth movement of the organisation broke away from the parent organisation and the Swedish Young Shareholders Association was formed.