Benchmarking Tool Debuts for Hedge Funds & Others CME Group, a provider of derivatives marketplaces, reports the launch of ENSO Data Insights, which it characterizes as “a benchmarking tool which leverages ENSO’s alternative data set to help customers make more informed investment decisions.” ENSO Data Insights “provides hedge funds, asset managers and banks … access to… Read More >>
OCIE Exams Uncover Cybersecurity & Privacy Weaknesses
Staff members of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) have identified cybersecurity and privacy control deficiencies among securities trading firms registered with the SEC and have issued a risk alert that reminds advisers and broker-dealers of their obligations. “In response to these observations, many of the registrants modified their written policies and procedures… Read More >>
Merrill Lynch Pays $8M to Settle ADR Allegations
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. will pay more than $8 million to settle charges of improper administration of “pre-released” American depositary receipts (ADRs), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reports. Merrill Lynch neither admits nor denies the SEC’s findings, but did submit an “Offer of Settlement.” In it, the firm agreed to pay… Read More >>
Time to Centralize Reference Data for Corporate Bonds?
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a self-regulatory organization (SRO), wants to “expand the collection and dissemination of new-issue reference data for corporate bonds,” and is seeking the approval of the SEC to do so, according to FINRA. As part of the proposal, FINRA wants its Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE) “to serve as… Read More >>
SEB to Use DTCC Repository for SFTR Compliance
SEB Extends DTCC Agreement via Global Trade Repository Swedish financial group Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) has decided to use the Global Trade Repository (GTR) services of the DTCC to meet regulatory obligations under the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR) that are likely to take effect in April 2020. The decision is an extension of SEB’s… Read More >>
Wedbush Settles Supervisory Failure Charges for $250K
The Los Angeles-based Wedbush Securities Inc. and the SEC have come to a settlement over charges that the firm failed to properly supervise one of its registered representatives, allegedly involved in a pump-and-dump scheme. The agreement, which follows an administrative proceeding from last year, will require the firm to pay a $250,000 penalty and agree… Read More >>
Cantor Fitzgerald Fined $2M for Alleged SHO Violations
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) reports that it has fined Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. $2 million for regulation SHO violations and supervisory failures spanning a period of at least five years. The SEC adopted regulation SHO to “address concerns regarding persistent failures to deliver and potentially abusive ‘naked’ short selling, e.g., the sale of… Read More >>
BB&T Securities Settles SEC Charges of Misleading Clients
BB&T Securities and the SEC have settled charges that a firm acquired by BB&T’s parent company allegedly misinformed advisory clients that they were getting discounted full-service brokerage services internally “while significantly less expensive options were available externally,” according to the SEC. Ultimately, the agreement requires BB&T Securities to return “more than $5 million to retail… Read More >>
FINRA Named as the New CAT Operator
The backers of the big data consolidated audit trail (CAT) have selected the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the self-regulatory organization (SRO), to be the next plan processor for the CAT system, replacing Thesys Technologies, which was acting as Thesys CAT. Late last month, news broke that Thesys CAT was being phased out of the plan… Read More >>
Cyber Startup Spared Penalty in Unregistered ICO Case
Gladius Network, a cybersecurity vendor whose services are based on blockchain technology, conducted an unregistered initial coin offering (ICO) but later reported its actions to the SEC, agreed to compensate ICO investors, and is registering the ICO tokens as a class of securities — underscoring the SEC’s assertion that digital tokens must conform to securities… Read More >>
