Analysts take the heat for failing Internet Companies By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. With the burst of the “Internet Bubble” starting in April 2000, and running through the end of that year, investors lost an untold amount of money in the stock market. While one can debate the size of […]
Brokers
Commentary, news and links of interest to financial advisers.
Analyst Conflicts – Problems? Solutions?
The SEC Releases an Investor Alert on Analyst Conflicts and Suggests that Investors do their Own Research. By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. June 30, 2001 The SEC has posted an Investor Alert on Analyst Recommendations and Conflicts Tilted “Analyzing Analyst Recommendations”. According to the Commission, the Alert is intended to warn investors of […]
You’re a Heroin Addict
ABC News 20/20 Has News for You! By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. I pulled my column for this month at the last minute. As I was putting the finishing touches on the column, to ship it off to Research, I was watching the ABC News Program, 20/20. The […]
Safety In Numbers
A New Organization Hopes to Provide Broker Advocacy By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Being a stockbroker is not what it used to be. Although stories of the “early days” of being a “customer’s man” are often repeated, younger brokers can only imagine times in which their hard work and concern […]
FINRA Enforcement
According to FINRA’s public statements, one of its top priorities is enforcing its rules and federal securities laws. FINRA investigates activity that it believes may indicate a securities law violation and files disciplinary proceedings against firms and their associated persons to address such violations. A FINRA investigation, which typically starts with a request […]
Guide to State Securities Administrators
Maintained by Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Last Updated March 2022 Introduction A complete listing of the contact information for the State Securities Commissions, who regulate securities transactions , in addition to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission . Here is a listing of the various state […]
Broker-Dealers In the News
1st Bridgehouse Securities 1st Discount Brokerage 1st Discount Brokerage is a firm unflinchingly devoted to financial fitness for our clients. We have built our company around wanting to create value for both investors and savers by helping individuals meet their economic needs. Whether they have a hundred or a million […]
Suitability – Brokers Have to be Their Own Judge
By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Suitability is an often misunderstood concept in the law. To most, it means that that brokers are required to ensure that their customers invest only in securities that are “suitable” for them. This oversimplification worries many brokers who, armed with this definition, often lament that […]
Exemptions from Broker-Dealer Registration
We deal with the requirements and procedures to register as a broker-dealer in Guide to Broker-Dealer Registration there are a number of specific exemptions where such registration is not required. Issuer’s Exemption (Rule 3a4-1) Issuers generally are not “brokers” because they sell securities for their own accounts and not for […]
Hedging Your Bets – Creating a Hedge Fund?
Hedging Your Bets Is a Hedge Fund the Way Out of the Regulatory Nightmare? By Mark J. Astarita, Esq. Mark Astarita, Esq. is a nationally recognized securities attorney who represents investors, financial professionals, issuers and financial firms in a wide variety of matters involving federal and state securities laws. He […]
