Questions which don't understand from book Flashcards
What are the conditions for a premium stock exchange listing?
- Three years of of audited accounts
- Expected aggregate market value of at least £30m for shares (£200,000 for debt securities)
- 10% of listed shares must be held by the public
Which entity is responsible for considering applications by a company for its shares to be listed?
The UK listing authority is a function of the FCA
Which entity regulates AIM?
The UKLA regulates the full list. LSE regulates AIM
Requirements for listing on LSE’s high growth segment (HGS)?
- CAGR at least 20%
- Must be incorporated in EEA
- Minimum free float of 10% at IPO
- Historic revenue CAGR of 20% over three years
Requirement for AQSE growth market?
- 24 months audited accounts
- 10% free float
What is Section 172?
Requires a director to act in the way they consider would be most likely to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole
What is groupthink?
Behaviour that minimises conflicts and results in consensus decision making
Board diversity targets
- Hampton-Alexander - voluntary target of 33% women in FTSE 350
- Parker review - all FTSE 100 boards have at least one ethnic director
Which instruments does MiFID cover?
Came in on 3rd Jan 2018 and added one additional financial instrument to the list contained in the original MiFID. The following are MiFID II instruments:
1. transferable securities; money market instruments and units in collective investment
2. options, futures, swaps, forward rate agreements and other derivative agreements
3. derivatives relating to commodities
4. derivative instruments for transfer of credit risk
5. financial contracts for differences
6. derivatives relating to climatic variables
Are contracts of insurance covered under MiFID?
No. Firms that do not conduct investment services at all are not within the scope of MiFID
Which does the EMIR comprise a set of standards for?
The regulation of OTC derivatives, central counterparites and trade repositories. EMIR introduced new requirements to improve transparency and reduce risks of derivatives
Which of these require authorisation?
1. Arranging deals and investments
2. Establishing a collective investment scheme
3. Sending dematerialised instructions
Undertaking any regulated activity requires authorisation unless exempt from authorisation
Which of these constitute a regulated activity as defined bby the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000?
1. Provision of investment advice
2. Fund management
3. Acting as an unremunerated trustee
Investment advice and fund management are whereas acting as an unremunerated trustee is excluded
Which of the following are exempt from authorisation?
1. Members of a recognised investment exchange
2. Appointed representatives
3. Lenders of regulated mortgages
Only the RIE such as the LSE is exempt, not the members. Therefore appointed representatives are the only exempt
Are currencies specified under the FSMA 2000?
No, currencies themselves are not specified investments, only currency futures and options
Why is this not correct? : The Trustee Act 2000 widened the investment powers of trustees, thus overriding provisions included in the trust instrument
Restrictions in the trust deed will override the wider investment powers provided for in the Trustee Act
What is the main rationale for enabling the FCA to make product intervention rules that are temporary?
The power to make temporary rules, without the normal consultations, can be used if the FCA considers that the delay involved in complying with the requirement would be prejudicial to the interests of consumers
What are the requirements for a MiFID business?
Must have two of the following:
1. €20 million balance sheet total
2. €40 million net turnover
3. €2 million own funds
When can the FCA not exercise its power to make temporary product intervention rules (TPIRs)?
The TPIRs may only last for up to 12 months. They may be used where complex or nice products are sold to mass market. There is no requirement for the FCA to consult the PRA regarding TPIRs
Under the EU benchmark regulation you may be a benchmark administrator if you provide indices that are used in:
- Financial instruments traded on an EU trading venue
- Mortgage contracts
- Investment funds
Does MiFIR cover more assets than MiFID II?
Yes. It sets out a number of reporting requirements in relation to the disclosure of trade data to the public and competent authorities. MiFID’s scope is extending under MiFIR to cover more asset classes, so more firms will be caught by the reporting obligations
What was introduced under UCITS V?
Enhanced the rules on responsibilities of depositaries and introduced remuneration policy requirements for UCITS fund managers. Implemented in March 2016.
What are the key changes that MiFID II has introduced?
- A regulated OTF to capture unregulated trades
- Strengthening transparency requirements that apply before and after trades
- Limiting the size of positions held in commodity derivatives to reduce speculation in basic products
When was MAR introduced?
July 2016. Was first introduced in July 2005 implementing the Market Abuse Directive
Changes that MAR brought about
- Extending the scope of the EU market abuse regime to financial instruments traded on MTFs or other OTFs and certain OTC activities
- Extends the market abuse regime to cover behaviour both within and outside the EU in relation to instruments admitted to trading on an EU trading venue
- Prohibition on attempting to engage in market manipulation
What is true of an OTF?
Designed to capture trading on bonds and derivatives that would not be traded on organised markets or MTFs
The seven criteria the FCA sets out that firms must consider
- Quality of service (not speed)
- The range and quality of services provided to investors
- Fund performance
- AFM costs
- Economies of scale
- Comparable market rates
- Comparable services and classes of units
Maximum sanction for assisting a money launderer?
14 years imprisonment and unlimited fine
Blocks
- High level
- Prudential
- Business standards
- Regulstory supervision
- Complaints and redress
- Specialist sourcebooks
- Listing, prospectus, disclosure
8.
PRIN 1
- Integrity
- Skill, care, diligence
- Management and control
- Financial prudence
- Market conduct
- Client interest
- Client communication
- Conflict of interest
- Consumer trust
- Client assets
- Relationship with regulators
Income allowance and condition
12,570 under 100,000
Basic income tax
0-37.7k
Higher income tax
37,701-150k
Additional tax rate
> 150,000
When is there no personal allowance?
Income >125,140
Income tax rates
Basic - 20%, higher - 40%, additional - 45%
Basic savings allowance
1k allowance - 20% rate
Higher savings allowance
£500 - 40%
Additional savings allowance
£0 - 45%
CG allowance
£12,300
Basic and higher CG
10% and 20%
Insider dealing - magistrate
Criminal justice act 1993. 5k fine. 6m in jail
Insider dealing - crown court
Unlimited fine, 7 years jail
Misleading statements
Financial services act 2012
1. Magistrate: 5k fine 6months
2. Crown court: unlimited fine and 7yrs
Money laundering: conceal, acquire, assist prison
14 years
Failure to report ML
5 years
Tipping off ML
2 years
Misleading statements ML
2 years
Not complying with ML
2 years
ML regs
Proceeds of Crime 2002 and Serious organised crime and police act
Bribery act fine and prison
UK bribery 2010. Unlimited fine and 10 yrs
Record keeping for all ML
5 yrs
Market abuse regulation and fine
EU MAR and unlimited
MiFID record keeping
5 years
Non-MiFID business record keeping
3 years
Pension transfer record keeping
Indefinite
Life policy/pension scheme record keeping
5 years
Broker/research fees record keeping
5 years
MiFID/3rd country business record keeping
5 years
Financial promotion for pension/life policy record keeping
6 years
General prohibition act, fine, prison
FSMA, unlimited fine and 2 years
Financial promotions act, fine, prison
FSMA, unlimited fine and 2 years
Client assets record keeping
5 years
MIFiD complaints record keeping
5 years
Non MiFID record keeping
3 years
Tax returns record keeping
6 years
What is switching and churning?
When a firm is overtrading investments such as securities too frequently within a client’s account, with no benefit, this is churning. Switching is overtrading within and between packaged products
Maximum jail sentence for insider dealing offences
7 years under the Criminal Justice Act 1993
Are there any regulatory requirements with regard to fact find?
No
Non MiFID per se professional requirement?
Large undertaking such a corporate body that has called up share capital of at least £5m
Who and why was NEST setup?
The government setup National Employment Savings Trust so that all employers have access to a suitable pension scheme if they do not have a quality scheme in place
Give details of NEST
All eligible jobholders (between 22 and state pension age with annual earnings over 10k) can be enrolled. Transfers in and out are not allowed except in limited circumstances.
What is a good way of establishing affordability of a mortgage?
Prepare a cashflow analysis, which can be in the form of an analysis of monthly household income and outgoings