Chapter 3: Associated Legislation and Regulation Flashcards
What replaced the EU Markets Abuse Directive?
MAR - Market Abuse Regulation
What are the three offences in relation to misleading practices? insider dealing/improper disclosure
- making misleading statements (Section 89)
- creating false or misleading impressions (Section 90), and
- making misleading statements in relation to benchmarks (Section 91).
What are the maximum sentences for insider dealing and financial services offenses?
Max 10 years or a fine
What is an insider list?
Issuers have to draw up an insider list of all persons who have access to inside information
What is the main difference between MAD and UK MAR?
No longer just applies to executed trades, MAR also applies to unexecuted orders and RFQs
What must firms have to detect and report suspicious orders?
Procedures in place to report and detect, scale with complexity of the firm
What must be included in a STOR (Suspicious Transaction and Order Reporting)
Person submitting
Description of order/transaction
Reason of suspicion
How to identify the person involved
How are STORs submitted?
Through FCA ‘connect’ the FCAs online reporting portal
What can a firm do if they see suspicious activity which may not fall under the defined requirements of a STOR.
Submit a “market observation” through connect
What is a market sounding?
When an investment bank undertakes discussions with clients to determine appetite for a new issuance
Can include the disclosure of ‘non-public’ information, which firms need to be careful of
What is the criminal law of insider dealing?
Part V of CJA 1993, which came into force in May 1994
Where must price-sensitive news be published?
LSE’S Regulatory News Service RNS
Where must a deal take place for insider dealing legislation to apply?
On regulated markets or though professional intermediary
What is a special defense (2) against insider dealing for market makers?
Acted in good faith, so did not act upon information
Working to facilitate an acquisition or disposal
What is a special defense for market information?
That market information given was used to action an order
Example
A client had been discussing the possibility of purchasing a block of 10,000 shares in XYZ plc with their broker. The client instructs the broker to buy. Clearly, the broker has the unpublished information that the buy order exists before they deal. However, this is market information and is a specific defence against a charge of insider dealing.
What is an information barrier?
Making sure a person carrying out a transaction does not have access to information from other people in the organisation
What is legitimate behaviour?
Where a person who has inside information and trades doesn’t always do it maliciously. There are some activities where this is the case.
What must managers report to the FCA, issuer or emission allowance market?
Every transaction carried out on their own account
Transactions relating to emission allowance
What is the closed period and what happens here?
30 days before announcement of company reports, managers are not allowed to trade
What must firms who recommend investments do as part of MAR?
Ensure it is objectively presented, disclose interests or conflicts of interest
What is different about an investment recommendation as per MiFID?
It doesn’t fall under their definition of advice or personal recommendation
It is a proposal to firms or individuals for short term trading ideas
When do the investment recommendation provisions apply?
When its recommended to more than 1 individual
What is needed where a investment recommendation is captured by UK MAR?
Ongoing obligations of disclosure
Facts are distinguished from interpretations
Projections are labelled
List of all recommendations over last 12 months
What are the acts in relation to Money Laundering?
The Proceeds of Crime Act - 2002
Report any suspicious assets
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005
Proceeds that if made in the UK would be illegal should be reported, e.g. bullfighting
The Criminal Finances Act 2017 - Firms fail to report tax evasion can get done
SYSC - Rules for AML policy
What must firms do as part of the Criminal Finances Act 2017?
Submit suspicious activities to the National Crime Agency called a suspicious activity report (SAR)
What did the MLR 2017 (Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds
(Information on the Payer) Regulations) apply?
Rusk Assessments are now required
Policies controls and procedures now required
Customer DD
Enhanced DD on high risk relationships
PEPs - Politically exposed persons
Simplified DD - cases where relationship or transaction present a lower NL or TF risk are now assessed case-by-case
What is restricted to have on entities in high risk countries?
Reliance for DD
What now needs to do done for ownership of overseas entities?
Full disclosures of 25% ownership as per the UKs Economic Crime Act
How did the UK Sanctions Legislation change? as per UKs Economic Crime Act
There will no longer be the requirements to prove that those breaching sanctions knew or suspected they were breaching the law in order for the UK government to impose a fine.
What are the 3 stages of Money Laundering?
Placement - introduction into financial system
Layering - moving between financial system
Integration - appears legitimate
What are the five offenses the Proceeds of Crime Act introduced and what are the penalties?
- Concealing - disguise criminal property
- Arrangements - Working with a criminal on their property e.g. advice on transaction
- Acquisition - using criminal property
1, 2 and 3 - 14 years jail and fine - Failure to disclose - Regulated employees to report suspicious activity
Fine and jail up to 5 years - Tipping off - Giving information to suspects that was gained from business
fine and up to 2 years
What is the nominated officer?
NO, person in charge of AML at firm - things are disclosed to them
What is the MLRO?
Money Laundering Reporting Officer
What is the objective test?
Determines whether a reasonable person would have been suspicious of the activity