FINRA’s newly revised Sanction Guidelines, effective immediately, signal that the upward trend in sanctions against broker-dealers is likely to continue.
The Sanction Guidelines, which establish the range of sanctions...more
In This Issue:
- SEC Proposes Rule Requiring Hedging Disclosure
- SEC Reports the Result of its Cybersecurity Sweep of Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers
- House Passes Bill to Ease Volcker Rule and Other...more
2/27/2015
/ Background Checks ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Protection ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Equity Swaps ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hedging ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
OCIE ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
In recent years, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have heightened their expectations of what constitutes a “comprehensive” branch self-inspection program. Firms...more
Earlier this year, the SEC found that CapWest Securities, Inc., a defunct broker-dealer, had failed to comply with advertising rules in promoting investments that use Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code (“1031...more
In the wake of the financial crisis, federal and state regulators are increasingly taking action against individuals for alleged compliance lapses inside financial services companies, and recent reports indicate that...more
In This Issue:
“Structured Products, Meet the Volcker Rule”: The New Limitations on Proprietary Trading; SEC and FINRA Personnel Speak at Structured Products Conference; FINRA’s Annual Regulatory and Examination...more
FINRA did not wait for any dust (or snow) to settle on the New Year before alerting the brokerage industry and the public about its regulatory and examination priorities for 2014. This year’s letter, issued earlier than ever...more
1/6/2014
/ Algorithmic Trading ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Compliance ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Crowdfunding ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
High Frequency Trading ,
Qualified Benefit Plans ,
Recidivism
As participation in the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) Immigrant Investor Program or “EB-5 program” grows, regulatory interest is showing a commensurate uptick. On November 20, 2013, Associate Director Stephen...more
The SEC should put more of its efforts into pursuing regulatory violations, such as failure to supervise, instead of trying to pursue fraud theories on weak facts, according to an SEC Commissioner....more
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (the “EB-5 Program”) administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has been a significant source of capital for various real estate and other development projects...more
In a speech presented to the second annual Securities Enforcement Forum on October 9, 2013, SEC Chair Mary Jo White described a broad expansion of the SEC’s enforcement program to reflect her desire “to see that the SEC’s...more
The SEC’s “large trader” rules that apply to clearing firms and certain other firms will kick in this November. Thanks to a recent SEC release, some firms are getting a two-year compliance reprieve, but they must develop the...more
FINRA recently amended Rule 4530 (Reporting Requirements) to make required reporting by member firms of certain regulatory and disciplinary events less burdensome. Those relatively minor changes will be discussed below. But...more