MyComplianceOffice Blog

On September 23rd, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) published a set of outcomes and recommendations on the Market Abuse Regulation. The report has the objective to review the functionalities of MAR since its implementation in 2016 and draft suggestions to improve the regulation. The report is based on a 2019 consultation and covers buy-back programmes, the delayed disclosure of inside information, the usefulness of insider lists, managers’ transactions, the retention period of personal data among other topics.

Sweden’s financial supervisory authority is investigating Swedbank for suspected breaches of market-abuse regulations.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published this week a decision note about the CEO of Worldspreads (WSL), Conor Foley. The FCA is seeking to fine Mr Foley for market abuse and ban him from working on regulated activities. The decision note was published on July 7 but follow an investigation that started in 2012. The FCA accuses the executive of committing market abuse by disseminating false information and manipulate transactions.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, the FCA released a statement, where the regulator has shown its concerns regarding companies’ capacity to fight against market abuse considering the context of new working conditions. Earlier, the FCA’s Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the FCA, Mark Steward gave a speech on market integrity and how the regulator has been approaching and investigating market abuse cases.

The FCA has stated that a primary focus in 2020 is to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on the markets and protect consumers. However, firms should not think that means that the regulator will adopt a light approach to current investigations and regulatory enforcement.