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HomeFINRA’s ‘2009 Year in Review’: INCOMPLETE
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 22nd, 2010 10:32 AM |
What good is a 2009 Annual Report released in September 2010?
Picture a student informing his teacher that he has not been able to complete his 75-page year end review, but that he will surely get it done over the summer and “I’ll have it for you when school starts back up in September.” Additionally, the student tries to ingratiate his teacher by submitting a 6-page summary year in review. If this were not so pathetic it may actually be comical, but my friends this is what we are subjected to by the Wall Street self-regulator FINRA. How so?
FINRA Chairman and CEO Rick Ketchum just released a magnanimous 6-page 2009 Year in Review while informing America that the full 2009 FINRA Annual Report will not be released until September.
American citizens and investors are experiencing one of the most dramatic, traumatic, and anxiety-ridden financial and economic period in our nation’s history, and all we get is a 6-page summary.
The FINRA 2009 Year in Review will not take long to critique, but suffice it to say the grade on this review will certainly be “INCOMPLETE.” (more…)
Gaelic Sense on Cents
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 14th, 2010 11:45 AM |
While the United States has very clearly chosen the Japanese path of ‘kicking the can down the road’ to deal with our current economic crisis, the Republic of Ireland has chosen the Swedish approach of ‘take your medicine as quickly as possible.’ Economists and analysts will debate the merits and shortcomings of each style for a long time. That said, is there anything we can learn currently from our friends in Ireland? (more…)
Lambs Led to the Slaughter
Posted by Larry Doyle on June 11th, 2010 7:34 AM |
“Here, meet my client. He’s got money. In fact, he’s got a lot of money . . . I like him, I really like him!!”
So it goes on Wall Street, where brokers all too often are focused on landing the ‘big fish.’ The brokers may believe the ‘big fish’ will produce many meals (that is, real payout). Meanwhile, all too often, those structuring highly complex transactions on Wall Street view these ‘big fish’ more akin to ‘sheep’ which can be fed overpriced deals including toxic waste. So it goes on Wall Street, just as it always went.
Who are supposed to look out for the sheep? The shepherds, both brokers and industry regulators. Are these shepherds capable of protecting the sheep? Are the shepherds’ interests aligned with the sheep, or the butchers (I mean, those structuring the complex transactions)? (more…)
The Muammar Gaddafi of Regulation
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 26th, 2010 9:14 AM |
Does anybody still read Time magazine?
I would expect that Time is likely now relegated to 9th grade Civics classrooms given the depth of reporting embodied in the recent cover article, The New Sheriffs of Wall Street.
If Time would like to be considered a serious publication, they should dig a little deeper prior to reporting this sort of powder puff commentary. Time rightfully does address the fact that Wall Street has been a bastion of male domination. Additionally, they pay proper respect to FDIC Chair Sheila Bair and Tarp watchdog and consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren, but they fall woefully short in their characterization and review of SEC Chair Mary Schapiro.
In this article, Schapiro would clearly like to portray herself as tough as nails on Wall Street while protecting the interests of investors. As Time highlights: (more…)
“The SEC: Designed for Failure”
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 20th, 2010 4:08 PM |
Thank you to a loyal Sense on Cents reader for providing a recently released report by the U. S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform entitled The SEC: Designed for Failure.
Much of what the American public has been fed about the SEC has been produced by the SEC itself. With all due respect to SEC Office of Inspector General David Kotz, who is widely respected, the other internal reports produced by the SEC have the stamp of career regulator Mary Schapiro. Regular readers of Sense on Cents know I have little regard for Mary.
This Congressional committee is led by Darrell Issa (R-CA). The report highlights that amongst the SEC’s issues, a lack of funding was not one of them. What else did the report find? What does it recommend?
Executive Summary (more…)
FINRA Investigates Thomas Weisel for ‘Stuffing’ ARS; Will SEC Investigate FINRA for Same?
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 18th, 2010 3:21 PM |
More evidence of the fraud surrounding auction-rate securities is exposed this morning in a story highlighting how Thomas Weisel Partners ‘stuffed’ $15.7 million of auction-rate securities into client accounts in order to raise cash to pay bonuses. The Wall Street Journal reports, Weisel Accused of ‘Stuffing’ Auction-Rate Securities:
Finance industry regulators have charged Thomas Weisel Partners and one of its former executives with improperly “stuffing” $15.7 million of auction-rate securities into client accounts in order to raise cash to pay bonuses. (more…)
Karen Fischer Petitions for FINRA Board Seat
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 18th, 2010 5:45 AM |
A democratic process requires fair, open, and robust interaction between and among elected individuals. That interaction will only occur if the individuals themselves are representative of a wide constituency. To that end, I am happy to post the following petition from Karen Z. Fischer, who is running for a seat on the FINRA Board of Governors. I am not endorsing Karen’s candidacy per se, but I am very much endorsing a process which will promote real transparency and integrity. To that end, I welcome sharing Ms. Fischer’s letter: (more…)
The World of Wall Street CDOs or “Don’t Lie to Me”
Posted by Larry Doyle on May 13th, 2010 2:18 PM |
News that the SEC and federal prosecutors are further investigating Wall Street firms involved in the structuring and distribution of CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) is not a surprise. Although Goldman Sachs has been targeted initially for its marketing of an Abacus transaction in conjunction with Paulson and Co., the simple fact is Goldman was not anywhere close to the largest player in this space. Who was? Well, I should more appropriately ask, “Who wasn’t?” All of Wall Street jumped on the CDO gravy train. (more…)
