Summary of selected FINRA regulatory notices, September‐November 2008

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this summary is to provide excerpts of selected Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) regulatory notices issued from September to November 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper provides excerpts from FINRA Regulatory Notice 08‐54, Guidance on Special Purpose Acquisition Companies; Regulatory Notice 08‐62, Limit on Close Case Submissions; 08‐66, Retail Foreign Exchange; and 08‐70, FINRA Investigations.

Findings

Notice 08‐54: Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) are shell companies that raise capital in initial public offerings (IPOs) for the purpose of merging with or acquiring an operating company. Notice 08‐62: Effective November 24, 2008, FINRA will limit the circumstances under which parties may make submissions to arbitrators in closed cases. Notice 08‐66: The retail over‐the counter foreign currency exchange (retail forex) market is opaque, volatile and risky. Broker‐dealers who engage in forex business with their retail customers must comply with the FINRA rules that apply to those activities. Notice 08‐70: FINRA is issuing this guidance to apprise firms of the circumstances in which extraordinary cooperation by a firm or individual may directly influence the outcome of an investigation.

Originality/value

These are direct excerpts designed to provide a useful digest for the reader and an indication of regulatory trends. The FINRA staff is aware of this summary but has neither reviewed nor edited it. For further detail as well as other useful information, the reader should visit www.finra.org

Citation

Davis, H.A. (2009), "Summary of selected FINRA regulatory notices, September‐November 2008", Journal of Investment Compliance, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 61-71. https://doi.org/10.1108/15285810910948162