FINRA Press Release: HSBC Securities

FINRA Fines HSBC Securities (USA) $1.5 million, US Bancorp $275,000 for Auction Rate Securities Violations

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued a press release today announcing that

"it has settled charges with two additional firms relating to the sale of auction rate securities (ARS) that became illiquid when auctions froze in February 2008 - HSBC Securities (USA) and US Bancorp Investments, Inc."

The settlement is detailed in the FINRA AWC No. 20080130571 and FINRA AWC No. 2008013863801.

Auction rate securities (ARS) were first issued in the mid-1980s by corporations. The market for ARS grew rapidly over the next two decades and widely issued by a diverse range of institutions such as closed-end mutual funds, municipalities and student loan trusts. ARS were long-term floating rate securities whose coupon payments were determined at auctions that were typically held every 7 to 35 days, making ARS long-term securities with short-term floating rates. Broker dealers marketed ARS as liquid, short-term cash equivalents. However, ARS auctions failed en masse in February 2008 and proved to be illiquid and unsellable in the short-term.

SLCG has written papers on the ARS that describes the ARS, what they are, how their auctions worked, and why they failed. SLCG was also recently hired by the State of North Carolina to advise on the liquidity solutions to ARS investors who have yet been able to redeem these illiquid securities.

Investors can use our dedicated website for other in-depth analyses of security products.