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Our experts frequently write blog posts about the findings of the research we are conducting.

Displaying 561-570 out of 571 results for "JOBS Act".

FINRA Press Release: Provident Asset Management

(Mar 2010)

Dallas-based Provident Asset Management Expelled for Marketing Fraudulent Private Placements Offered by Affiliate in Massive Ponzi Scheme

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

"it has expelled Provident Asset Management, LLC, a Dallas-based broker-dealer, for marketing a series of fraudulent private placements offered by its affiliate, Provident Royalties, LLC, in a massive Ponzi scheme."

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent scheme...

FINRA Regulatory Notice: Reverse Convertibles

(Feb 2010)

FINRA Reminds Firms of Their Sales Practice Obligations With Reverse Exchangeable Securities (Reverse Convertibles)

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published Regulatory Notice 10-09 reminding financial firms selling reverse convertibles notes (RCN) to provide fair and balanced sales materials and communications, including proper statement on the risks associated with such notes.

In an upcoming SLCG study on RCN, we have found that investors of RCNs have been...

FINRA Regulatory Notice: Variable Annuities

(Feb 2010)

FINRA Reminds Firms of Their Responsibilities Under FINRA Rule 2330 for Recommended Purchases or Exchanges of Deferred Variable Annuities

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published Regulatory Notice 10-05 reminding firms of their responsibilities concerning deferred variable annuities. Annuities can carry costs and risks that many investors may not be aware of because brokers who are incentivized by commission-generation do not make them clear to investors. Costs...

FINRA Investor Alert: Life Settlements

(Jul 2009)

Seniors Beware: What You Should Know About Life Settlements

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published an Investor Alert on life settlement. Life settlement is the transaction that involves selling one's life insurance policy to a third party that did not issue the policy for a lump sum payment whose value is higher than the policy's cash surrender value but less than the net death benefit.

Because life settlement is targeted at senior people, the industry can be...

SLCG Research: Charles Schwab YieldPlus

(Jul 2009)

SLCG released today 'Charles Schwab YieldPlus Risk'

This paper reports on the Charles Schwab YieldPlus, a bond fund. YieldPlus returned -31.7% between June 2007 and June 2008. Though it told investors that it was an ultra short bond fund, it was in fact an ultra long bond fund. It held securities backed by illiquid long-term private label mortgages, violating concentration and liquidity limits stated in its prospectus. Up until 2007, these securities helped YieldPlus generate...

SLCG Research: Equity Indexed Annuities

(Sep 2008)

SLCG released today 'An Economic Analysis of Equity-Indexed Annuities'.

On June 25, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a rule proposal to exclude equity-indexed annuities from exemption from Federal securities laws. By requiring registration of equity-indexed annuities under Federal securities laws, the rule gives investors of equity-indexed annuities the same protection as it gives to investors of other securities similar to equity-indexed annuities.

In this...

SLCG Research: Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

(Jun 2007)

SLCG released today 'A CMO Primer: the law of Conservation of Structured Securities Risk'.

Recently, the finance industry witnessed the bailout of two Bears Sterns hedge funds and the collapse of Brookstreet Securities. Both had portfolio holdings of collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and suffered huge losses thereof. We have seen such CMO losses before, when in 1994 interest rates rose, CMOs fell in value and bond mutual funds suffered unexpected losses.

In this paper, Dr....

Registered Rep.: A Tempest Over Structured Products

(Feb 2007)

A Tempest Over Structured Products

Registered Rep. issued a news release today reporting on the state of the structured products market. The sale of structured products has grown by an estimate of 33% from 2005 to 2006. Yet the general features of structured products seem to make these products unattractive: complex, expensive, and illiquid. Financial advisors might favor structured products for it enables portfolio diversification and for its ability to tailor to the specific needs of...

FINRA Investor Alert: Variable Annuities

(Mar 2006)

Should You Exchange Your Variable Annuity?

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published an Investor Alert on how to determine if investors should exchange their variable annuity for another model. An annuity makes periodic payments to the holder of the annuity. There are fixed annuities that make fixed payments and variable annuities that make variable payments.

While equity-indexed annuities have become increasingly popular, some have questioned their value and...

FINRA Press Release: Structured Products

(Sep 2005)

NASD Provides Guidance Concerning the Sale of Structured Products

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published a NASD Notice to Members 05-59 providing guidance to members concerning their sales practice obligations when selling structured protects to retail customers.

The complexity of structured products can often obscure their risks. It is therefore important that investors are protected from unscrupulous sales practices that might arise in an unregulated...

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