“Spinning” is when a broker allocates IPO shares of a hot issue to favored customers, which the customers can then sell at a profit on the secondary market. Effective May 27, 2011, FINRA has prohibited spinning. If it looks like there is a relationship between a customer and the broker-dealer, the broker-dealer cannot sell shares of new issues to that customer. Note that certain allocations are exempt from this rule.
http://www.finra.org/Industry/Regulation/Notices/2010/P122491