Your case forks: personal own-account investing is not automatically unauthorized employment, but business-like or compensated trading can violate F-1 status, and the IRS does not routinely send your trades to USCIS.

(e)(1)-(2)

Any other nonimmigrant in the United States may not engage in any employment unless the nonimmigrant has been accorded a nonimmigrant classification which authorizes employment or the nonimmigrant has been granted permission to engage in employment in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. A nonimmigrant who is permitted to engage in employment may engage only in such employment as has been authorized. Any unauthorized employment by a nonimmigrant constitutes a failure to maintain status within the meaning of section 241(a)(1)(C)(i) of the Act.

Chapter 6.A.1

Unauthorized employment is any service or labor performed for an employer within the United States by an alien who is not authorized by the INA or USCIS to accept employment or who exceeds the scope or period of the alien’s employment authorization.

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The word "employment" is a common one, generally used with relation to the most common pursuits, and therefore ought to be received as understood in common parlance and includes the act of being employed for one's self. Unauthorized self-employment as a used car dealer is "unauthorized employment" within the purview of section 245(c) of the Act.

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If, however, the applicant is deemed a qualified investor of an enterprise with capital exceeding $40,000 and with qualified employees, his management work does not constitute employment within the contemplation of section 212(a)(14) of the Act. An unsuccessful applicant for an investor exemption from the labor certification requirement runs the risk that work performed in connection with his nonqualifying investment may be considered unauthorized employment.

Special rules apply if you're a trader in securities, in the business of buying and selling securities for your own account. The law considers this to be a trade or business, even though a trader doesn't maintain an inventory and doesn't have customers. To be engaged in business as a trader in securities, you must meet all of the following conditions: You must seek to profit from daily market movements in the prices of securities and not from dividends, interest, or capital appreciation; Your activity must be substantial; and You must carry on the activity with continuity and regularity.

(b)(2)(A)(ii)

Trading in stocks or securities for the taxpayer's own account, whether by the taxpayer or his employees or through a resident broker, commission agent, custodian, or other agent, and whether or not any such employee or agent has discretionary authority to make decisions in effecting the transactions. This clause shall not apply in the case of a dealer in stocks or securities.

A flat tax of 30 percent (or lower treaty) rate is imposed on U.S. source capital gains in the hands of nonresident individuals present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year. This 183-day rule bears no relation to the 183-day rule under the substantial presence test of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 7701(b)(3). The same rule applies to a foreign student or scholar visiting the United States in F, J, M, or Q nonimmigrant status whose presence in the U.S. equals or exceeds 183 days in any calendar year.

You will not be an exempt individual as a student if you have been exempt as a teacher, trainee, student, Exchange Visitor, or Cultural Exchange Visitor on an "F, " "J, " "M, " or "Q " visa for any part of more than 5 calendar years, unless you establish to the satisfaction of the IRS that you do not intend to reside permanently in the United States, and you have substantially complied with the requirements of your nonimmigrant status. If you qualify to exclude days of presence as a student, you must file a fully-completed Form 8843, Statement for Exempt Individuals and Individuals with a Medical Condition with the IRS.

Who Must File

A broker or barter exchange must file Form 1099-B for each person: For whom the broker has sold (including short sales) stocks, commodities, regulated futures contracts, foreign currency contracts (pursuant to a forward contract or regulated futures contract), forward contracts, debt instruments, options, securities futures contracts, etc., for cash;

(a)

Returns and return information shall be confidential, and except as authorized by this title—no officer or employee of the United States, shall disclose any return or return information obtained by him in any manner in connection with his service as such an officer or an employee or otherwise or under the provisions of this section.

Unauthorized Employment

The DSO has evidence the student is or was employed. The DSO knows the student does or did not have work permission for all or part of that employment.

(a)

A consular officer, the Secretary, or a Department official to whom the Secretary has delegated this authority is authorized to revoke a nonimmigrant visa at any time, in his or her discretion.