Guidance
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Short sales by options professionals established during the course of bona fide market making activities are exempt from the affirmative determination requirements, regardless of whether the short sales constitute a permitted offset under Regulation T.
Requirements under NASD Rule 3030 (formerly Article III, Section 43) for investment seminar activities conducted by dually registered persons that charge fees from participants.
Clarification of NASD Notice to Members
94-44 to situations in which a dually registered person maintains discretionary trading authority, determines portfolio changes, and prepares trade instructions for customer accounts and charges the accounts an asset-based fee.
Whether a proposed standby purchase agreement entered into between affiliate of a member and an issuer in connection with a public offering of the issuer's common stock could constitute an option.
Cash rebates issued to pension plan customers with respect to secondary market transactions in outstanding securities (under former Article III, Section 24, now Rule 2740 and IM-2740).
The Municipal Continuing Disclosure Report displays statistics about transactions that your firm effected with customers. The report provides relevant information about the availability of official statements, annual financial filings, and event filings on the MSRB's Electronic Municipal Market Access system (EMMA) at the time the securities were sold or purchased. Specifically, the report shows counts of transactions with customers for which official statements and/or current annual financial filings were not available on EMMA at the time the transaction occurred.
Q: If a member firm performs securities counts, verifications and comparisons as described in the January 6, 2026, Raymond James No Action Letter (the Letter),* would compliance with all circumstances set forth in the Letter satisfy the requirements of FINRA Rule 4522(b)(1) with respect to capital balance funds, as defined in that Letter?
Background
Examinations are central to FINRA's regulatory operations, and they are one of the principal means by which the organization protects investors and promotes market integrity. FINRA's examinations also aim to provide valuable feedback to firms on areas for improvement and best practices based on insights we have gathered from examining others in the industry.