REGS BIBLE Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are the three offences defined under S52 CJA 1993?
- Dealing on inside information
- Encouraging others to deal on inside information
- Disclosure of inside information?
Which 4 conditions have to be met for information to be considered ‘inside information’ under CJA S52?
- relates to particular securities/issuers
- specific or precise
- not been made public
- price sensitive
What does S52 CJA relate to?
Insider dealing
Is insider dealing a criminal or civil offence?
Both
What replaces burden of proof for civil offences?
Balance of probability (a lighter burden of proof)
How can misleading impression and insider dealing offences be prosecuted as civil offenses?
Under UK MAR which encapsulates both S52 CJA and S89-91 FSA
Is market abuse a criminal or civil offence?
Civil
What two conditions are there for proving a criminal offence?
- must prove intent
- evidence must be beyond all reasonable doubt
What are the criminal punishments for S52 CJA and S89-91 FSA offences?
Max 10 years imprisonment and/or unlimited fine
What must conditions must be met to prove a civil offence under UK MAR?
- behaviour of individual has abusive/damaging effect to interest of others
- balance of probability
What is the maximum punishment for a civil offence under UK MAR?
Unlimited fine (FCA cannot enforce imprisonment)
What instruments are covered under S52 CJA?
- equities (shares, ADRs, warrants)
- tradable debt (corporate/government bonds, gilts etc)
- derivatives (options, futures, CFDs)
What investments are excluded from S52 CJA (out of scope of criminal law)?
- assets with no secondary market (eg. bank account, unit trusts)
- commodities and commodity derivs
- spot and forward FX
- insurance
NOTE: must be traded on a regulated market/via professional intermediary to be criminally prosecuted
What does S89 FSA 2012 relate to?
S89 - Misleading statements (lying)
What is considered public information?
Information reported to a regulatory information service (RIS)
What does S90 FSA 2012 relate to?
Misleading impressions (eg. abusive squeezes, market rigging)
What does S91 FSA 2012 relate to?
Misleading statements in relation to benchmarks (eg. LIBOR)
What are the general defences for insider dealing?
- did not expect to make profit (or avoid loss)
- believed on reasonable grounds information was public
- would have acted the same regardless of info
- did not expect recipient to deal
What 3 things must insider lists include?
- identity of each person having access to inside information
- reason why such a person is on the list
- date on which the list was created and updated
What are the 3 special defences for insider dealing?
- Price stabilisation rules
- Market information (market sensitive but NOT inside info)
- Market makers in ordinary course of business (in good faith)
What are the two steps to prosecuting insider dealing?
- LSE monitors transactions and tips off regulators of any unusual patterns
- FCA then prosecutes if it has good quality evidence to criminal burden of proof
What is the general defence for Misleading statements and impressions?
- reasonable believed statement/act was not false/misleading
What are the 3 special defences for S89-91 FSA 2012?
- Acted in conformity with price stabilisation rules
- Compliance with control of information rules (ie. Chinese walls in place)
- Compliance with share buy-back rules
Can companies be disciplined under UK MAR?
Yes - both individuals and firms can be prosecuted for a civil offence
What is the scope of MAR? (think products)
- financial instruments traded on a regulated market/MTF/OTF
- Emissions allowance (eg. carbon credits)
- for market manipulation it also applies to commodity derivs and commodity spot markets
what amounts to market abuse according to the FCA Market Conduct handbook Guidance?
- insider dealing
- improper disclosure
- manipulating transactions
- manipulating devices
- dissemination
- benchmark manipulation
What are the 4 civil penalties under UK MAR?
- withdrawal of regulated status
- financial penalties without limit
- public statements
- apply to courts for injunctions/restitutions
What are 4 examples of legitimate behaviours (safe harbours)
- Share buy-back programs and stabilisation measures
- FCA rules
- Takeover code
- Market soundings
What are STORs?
Suspicious Transactions and Order Reports
How soon must firms report suspicions to the FCA?
Without delay (should never second-guess)
What 5 things must a STOR contain?
- Identity of reporting person
- Description of order/transaction
- Reasons for which market abuse is suspected
- Means of identifying any person involved in order/transaction
- Any other supporting documents
What is the MAR PDMR regime?
Persons discharging managerial responsibility (eg employees and directors) dealing in own company’s shares must disclose to both company and FCA within 3 business days of transaction
What is the closed period in which a PDMR cannot trade?
30 days prior to announcement of Year End or Half Year results
Is a breach of MAR PDMR regime a criminal offence?
No - disciplinary action would be taken by FCA against individual or company
What is the de minimise threshold set by MAR at which PDMR do not need to disclose transactions?
5000 euros per calendar year (without netting the transactions)
Which legislation criminalises money laundering?
POCA 2002
What is the Money Laundering Regulations 2017?
Detailed regulations setting out administrative provisions for any companies at risk of handling firms for money laundering/terrorist financing
What is the JMLSG guidance?
Joint Money Laundering Steering Group guidance is industry guidance notes on how to implement MLR compiled by a panel of industry practitioners
NOT Binding