Posts Tagged ‘FINRA’
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 15th, 2010 12:51 PM |
Pricing power is everything.
What businessman wouldn’t like greater control and influence over the pricing of his goods and services? How are prices determined? In a capitalist system, prices are a function of the competitive forces of supply and demand. What happens when competition dwindles? Pricing power for the suppliers increases. How does competition dwindle? When barriers to entry are so high, or competitors go out of business. This economic reality is also known as an oligopoly and it defines the current state of our financial industry known as Wall Street.
Is Wall Street taking advantage of the lessened competition and flexing its muscle to drive revenue? Is the Pope Catholic? (more…)
Tags: capitalism, CNBC media appearance, crony capitalism, financial industry, financial lobby, FINRA, Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs Demands Collateral It Won't Dish Out, JP Morgan, oligopoly, over the counter derivatives, pricing power, Richard Lindsey, Street Signs, to the victors go the spoils, TRACE, Wall Street, Wall Street collusion, Wall Street lobby, Wall Street oligopoly
Posted in General, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Wall Street, oligopoly | 1 Comment »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 15th, 2010 9:50 AM |
Bloomberg just provided a sneak peek at the Financial Regulatory Reform package to be proposed by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) this afternoon. What are some of the highlights and my thoughts? Let’s navigate.
From the top down, and without being overly cynical, I am extremely concerned that this proposed financial regulatory reform is a reshuffling of deck chairs with increased powers for both the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury. The very fears I voiced almost a year ago remain entrenched. What is the basis of my fear? The so-called reform is much more focused on the “sufficiency” of regulation of our financial industry and not nearly focused on the “transparency” of the regulation, the regulators, and the regulated.
Call me suspect.
What are the key highlights as reported by Bloomberg? (more…)
Tags: Ben Bernanke, CFPA, Consumer Financial Protection Agency, derivatives markets, Dodd's proposed financial regulatory reform, FDIC, Federal Reserve wins in proposed financial regulatory reform, financial regulatory reform, FINRA, leverage on Wall Street, merger of OCC and OTS, reshuffling the deck chairs, say on pay, SEC, sufficiency of financial regulation, systemic risk authority, Systemic Risk Committee, too big to fail, volcker rule, Wall Street-Washington incest
Posted in General, regulation | 1 Comment »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 13th, 2010 2:34 PM |
Given the global interest in this story, I am bumping it up from the original posting on 3/12/2010. LD
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Former Lehman Bros. CEO, Dick Fuld
Reports that Lehman was effectively ‘cooking its books’ prior to its ultimate demise are not a surprise.
Reports that Dick Fuld, then CEO of Lehman, was not aware of the nature of this cooking are both ridiculous and pathetic.
The lifeblood of every financial institution on Wall Street is access to financing for its operations. That financing very often comes in the form of repurchase agreements (repo financing), in which the institution borrows funds while pledging assets. These short term loans, often overnight loans, are unwound at a preset date and preset prices. The rates borrowers have to pay for funds borrowed depend on the credit quality of the borrower itself and the quality of the assets pledged. (more…)
Tags: Amerivet Securities v FINRA, Anton Valukas, Bart McDade, Dick Fuld, Dick Fuld's career, FINRA, Fuld 'Negligent' as Lehman Hid Leverage, Herbert 'Bart' McDade, Lehman Bros, Lehman Bros. balance sheet, Lehman cooking its books, Lehman manipulated its books, Lehman's auditors Ernst and Young, Lehman's financials, Lehman's leverage, NASD, off balance sheet transactions, Repo 105, repo financing
Posted in General, Lehman | 12 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 9th, 2010 12:04 PM |
People in glass houses should not throw stones.
That simple piece of wisdom is both timeless and precious. Regrettably, too many in our media fail to uphold it. Where do I see evidence of it today?
The Wall Street Journal today runs a book review of Harry Markopolos’ recently released No One Would Listen. The reviewer is Richard J. Tofel of ProPublica, a nonprofit investigative-journalism newsroom. Tofel does not denigrate Harry’s work, but he emasculates Harry from a personal standpoint. (more…)
Tags: ARPS, ARS, book review No One Would Listen, FINRA, Harry Markopolos, Madoff investigation, Madoff Whistleblower, No One Would Listen, people in glass houses, Richard J. Tofel of Propublica, Richard J. Tofel's review of No One Would Listen, Richard J.Tofel, Russian mob in Madoff scam, SEC, The Wall Street Journal, Tofel writes of Harry Markopolos, Wall Street Journal book review of No One Would Listen, whistleblowers
Posted in General, Harry Markopolos | 4 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 6th, 2010 12:24 PM |
Regular readers of Sense on Cents know all too well my questions and concerns about the lack of transparency at the Wall Street self-regulatory organization FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority).
I am a big fan of promoting transparency in order to pursue integrity. Who else is a big fan of the same goals? The Project on Government Oversight (POGO) :
. . . an independent nonprofit that investigates and exposes corruption and other misconduct in order to achieve a more effective, accountable, open, and ethical federal government. (more…)
Tags: absolute immunity for finra, financial regulatory reform, FINRA, FINRA board and executives, FINRA conflicts of interest, Finra investment portfolio, FINRA relationship with Wall Street, FINRA-ARS, immunity without transparency is a license to steal, integrity, Mary Schapiro's compensation, POGO, POGO podcast on FINRA, project on Government Oversight, transparency, Wall Street regulation, what does POGO do?
Posted in General | 1 Comment »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 4th, 2010 7:29 AM |
The auction-rate securities market did not instantaneously freeze in early 2008. The fact is, the ARS market started to fail in mid-2007 on the heels of a variety of market segments repricing given the liquidity issues on Wall Street. Recall that mortgage hedge funds at Bear Stearns cratered in spring 2007. At that point, Wall Street was becoming much more risk averse while shepherding the use of its own capital and balance sheets. During this point in time, the ARS market started to fail and ultimately totally froze in early 2008.
Evidence is rampant that Wall Street worked feverishly from mid-2007 until early 2008 to offload auction-rate securities anywhere and everywhere without informing investors of the failing nature of the market. (more…)
Tags: ARPS fraud, ARS, Auction Rate Securities, Auction Rate Securities scandal, Citigroup auction-rate securities scandal, Citigroup Pete Thompson Scott Kami, Citigroups auction-rate bonds freeze $1 billion in hawaii cash, FINRA, fraud, Hawaii auction rate securities, hawaii cash strapped, hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, Karl Rhoads, Mary Schapiro Rick Ketchum, SEC, Wall Street
Posted in ARPS, ARS, Auction Rate Securities scandal, FINRA, General | 2 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on March 1st, 2010 5:49 PM |
America should be reviled when those charged with upholding the law overseeing our markets are not held to that standard themselves.
Today is a very dark day for those in our country who cherish the virtues of truth, transparency, and integrity.
Why am I despondent? This afternoon, Judge Jed Rakoff issued a ruling dismissing the lawsuit brought on behalf of Standard Investment Chartered against Mary Schapiro and other FINRA executives. What is the basis for Judge Rakoff’s dismissal? He allowed the defense the cover of absolute immunity in the merger of the NASD with NYSE Regulation to form FINRA. (more…)
Tags: absolute immunity for finra, Amerivet Securities vs FINRA, FINRA, Judge Rakoff ruiling onm standard investmetn chartered v finra, Mary Schapiro, rakoff gives finra absolute immunity, Standard Investment Chartered vs FINRA
Posted in FINRA, General, Jed Rakoff | 9 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 28th, 2010 12:23 PM |
Harry Markopolos has become a household name in the realm of financial regulatory oversight. Harry earned his stripes for his dogged pursuit of the Madoff scam, especially in light of the lack of support from the SEC.
Harry characterized the SEC as incompetent during his initial Congressional testimony addressing the Madoff scam early last year. During that testimony, Harry characterized FINRA as “in bed with the industry.”
Who in America did not view Harry as a hero for his determination and drive in exposing the Madoff scam?
In light of Harry’s work over the years, I was somewhat befuddled by Harry’s excessively complimentary remarks directed toward Mary Schapiro last fall during Congressional testimony highlighting SEC Inspector General’s David Kotz’ review of the SEC’s handling of the Madoff affair. Harry seemed to lose his disdain for Mary and the SEC.
Well, Harry has regained his edge and his contempt for the SEC. (more…)
Tags: a bunch of idiots, Bernie Madoff, Christopher Cox, David Becker, David Kotz, FINRA, harry Markopolos calls SEC A Bunch of Idiots, Madoff, Markopolos interview in New York Times, Markopolos interview in New York Times February 28 2010, Mary Schapiro, Math is Hard, No One Would Listen, SEC, SEC failures, william donaldson
Posted in General | 3 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 23rd, 2010 2:04 PM |
Are the days of Wall Street’s self-regulatory organization known as FINRA numbered?
In the opinion of the very credible Project on Government Oversight, they should be. Why? Significant failures, massive conflicts of interest, and more. POGO’s comprehensive and scathing letter to four separate House and Senate committees touches upon every failing within FINRA, with the exception of the integrity of the proxy statement used in the formation of the organization itself. Strong allegations in a current lawsuit against FINRA make the case that Mary Schapiro lied verbally during roadshows and in the proxy statement. (For details on this lawsuit read here.)
Despite not addressing the issues embedded in that lawsuit, POGO touches all the other bases and covers all the other issues surrounding this organization. (more…)
Tags: Amerivet Securities vs FINRA, Anna Driver, ARPS, ARS, Bernie Madoff, Bernie Madoff Mark Madoff Peter Madoff, Bernie Madoff's relationship with FINRA, compensation at FINRA, Danielle Brian's letter about FINRA, Darrell Preston FINRA, Davis Polk Wardwell, did FINRA protect investors, financial regulation, financial regulatory reform, FINRA, FINRA and NASD Annual reports, FINRA conflicts of interest, FINRA failings, FINRA oversight of Stanford, FINRA's board, FINRA's failure in auction rate securities, FINRA's formation, FINRA's future, FINRA's oversight of Madoff, FINRA's oversight of Wall Street, FINRA's track record, Frederick Fram, incest on Wall Street, John Coffee, Lena Stinson, Madoff relationship with FINRA and NASD, Mary Schapiro, Mary Schapiro compensation and severance, merger creating FINRA, Michael Smallberg's letter to Congress and Senate on FINRA, NASD, NASDAQ, National Adjudicatory Council, POGO, POGO FINRA, POGO investigates FINRA, POGO letter on FINRA, POGO letter to House and Senate committees, POGO letter to House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, POGO letter to House Financial Services Committee, POGO letter to Senate Banking, POGO letter to Senate Finance, project on Government Oversight, Richard Ketchum, Robert Errico, self-regulation on Wall Street, Shana Madoff, Susan Merrill, Tom McGinty kara Scannell Randall Smith FINRA, Wall Street employees working at FINRA, Wall Street's SRO, Wall Street-Washington incest, watchdog group investigates Wall Street regulator, what does Finra do?
Posted in FINRA, General, POGO | 10 Comments »
Posted by Larry Doyle on February 20th, 2010 11:58 AM |
The target on SEC Chair Mary Schapiro’s back is getting larger and gaining more focus. How so?
The lead editorial in this weekend’s edition of The Wall Street Journal goes after Schapiro hard in writing, Mary Schapiro’s Say on Pay. While the editorial leads with the ongoing battle Schapiro and the SEC are having with Bank of America’s lack of disclosure during its merger with Merrill Lynch, the Journal quickly turns the tables on Ms. Schapiro and addresses the lack of disclosure at Ms. Schapiro’s former haunt, FINRA.
Come to papa.
Regular readers of Sense on Cents are well aware of how consistently and steadily I have been banging this FINRA drum. It is long past due that America is truly introduced to Wall Street’s self-regulatory organization, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). (more…)
Tags: ARS, Auction Rate Securities, Bernie Madoff, Bloomberg News, disclosure, Dow Jones, FINRA, Madoff, Mary Schapiro, Mary Schapiro's Say on Pay, merger of Bank of America with Merrill Lynch, NASD, regulation, regulatory system, Richard Greenfield, The New York Times, Wall Street, Wall Street Journal, Wall Street Journal editorial lack of disclosure on FINRA compensation, Wall Street Journal editorial page 2 20 2010, Wall Street Journal February 20 2010 Mary Schapiro's Say on Pay, Wall Street Journal February 20 2010 Schapiro FINRA Madoff, Wall Street Journal FINRA, Wall Street Journal Mary Schapiro compensation practices at FINRA, Wall Street Journal Mary Schapiro's Say on Pay editorial February 20 2010, Wall Street regulation, WSJ editorial February 20 2010 FINRA lack of disclosure, WSJ editorial FINRA not-for-profit compensation Schapiro, WSJ editorial on MAry Schapiro February 20 2010
Posted in FINRA, General, Mary Schapiro, Wall Street, Wall Street Journal | 2 Comments »