FINRA recently reported its January 2010 arbitration statistics. For the month ended January 31, 2010, 456 claims had been filed. This represents a decrease of 14% as compared to the number of cases filed in January 2009 (528). The average turnaround time for cases that have resulted in an arbitration hearing (i.e., cases that did not settle prior to the hearing) has declined by 11% (11.6 months from 13.0 months).
In addition, FINRA has also noted a significant increase in the …

Leveraged ETFs have recently returned to the news as Direxion announced the release of two new funds. As reported on Marketwatch.com, one of these new funds seeks to obtain returns equal to 300% of the two-year Treasury yield, while the other fund seeks to obtain returns equal to 300% of the inverse return of the two-year Treasury yield (in other words, when the Treasury yield declines, the investor profits).
Despite the repeated warnings issued by FINRA and the SEC as to …

FINRA recently reported its October 2009 arbitration statistics. As of October 31, 2009, 6,113 claims were filed, compared to only 3,971 as of October 31, 2008, an increase of 54%. FINRA also reported that 3,697 cases were closed through October and that the average turnaround time for cases that go to an arbitration hearing has declined by 9% (14.3 months from 15.8 months).
The most frequent securities and investment claims/controversies involved in arbitration continue to be breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation/fraud, …

From Securities Arbitration Blawg:
FINRA recently reported its September 2009 arbitration statistics. As of September 30, 2009, 5,545 claims were filed, compared to only 3,471 as of September 30, 2008, an increase of 60%. FINRA also reported that 3,196 cases were closed through September and that the average turnaround time for cases that go to an arbitration hearing has declined by 9% (14.5 months from 16.0 months).
The most frequent claims/controversies involved continue to be breach of fiduciary duty, misrepresentation/fraud, negligence, and …

On October 5, 2009, FINRA reported that it will expand its “pilot” program that allows investors who file eligible claims to select an arbitration panel that consists of three “public” arbitrators, rather than the traditional panel comprised of two “public” arbitrators and one “non-public” arbitrator.
To accomplish this, FINRA has expanded the program to include cases against the following 14 broker-dealers (from 11 broker-dealers):

Chase Investment Services (10 cases);
Oppenheimer & Co. (15 cases);
Raymond James Financial Services/Raymond James & Associates (10 cases);
Citigroup Global …

On October 1, 2009, Colorado Securities Commissioner Fred Joseph announced that the Securities Division had filed a complaint against Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. According to the Division’s news release, the complaint alleges:
Stifel Nicolaus falsely represented auction rate securities as liquid, short-term investments to Colorado investors without discussing the risks. These representations gave investors a false sense of security that the investments would always be liquid when auction rate securities, in fact, faced significant, inherent liquidity risks.
A copy of the Notice …