Exam Alert: FINRA Revises OATS, ORF, and ADF/TRF Trade Reporting Rules

FINRA is revising the trade reporting rules for the Order Audit Trail System (OATS) and for FINRA facilities. The changes require… Continue reading

FINRA is revising the trade reporting rules for the Order Audit Trail System (OATS) and for FINRA facilities. The changes require:

  • reporting additional times for certain transactions
  • expressing trade times in milliseconds
  • linking reversal reports to the original trade
  • reporting trades on non-business days and trades that are over a year old to FINRA facilities
  • using a new “step-in” indicator (when a firm takes over a position from another firm)
  • keeping declined trades in the system so they may still be cancelled, corrected, or accepted

Effective April 7, 2014, FINRA has modified the rules for the Order Audit Trail System (OATS).

Effective September 15, 2014, FINRA will modify the rules for the OTC Reporting Facility (ORF).

Effective September 29, 2014, FINRA will require firms to report the time of trades in milliseconds when reporting to the Alternative Display Facility (ADF) or to Trade Reporting Facilities (TRFs).

FINRA will implement the other changes to ADF and TRF reporting rules in the first quarter of 2015.

Source: FINRA Regulatory Notice 14-21: SEC Approves Amendments to Equity Trade Reporting and OATS Rules

This alert applies to the Series 7, Series 24, Series 55, and Series 62.

Exam Alert: Test takers with limited English proficiency must submit a form to FINRA to receive extra time

Effective September 1, 2012, FINRA will implement a new policy for providing additional time to people with limited English proficiency on qualification exams and on Regulatory Element Continuing Education sessions. The new policy requires that people requesting additional time must submit an LEP Request Form to FINRA and receive confirmation from FINRA that the form has been processed before scheduling the exam or Continuing Education session. Continue reading

Effective September 1, 2012, FINRA will implement a new policy for providing additional time to people with limited English proficiency on qualification exams and on Regulatory Element Continuing Education sessions.  The new policy requires that people requesting additional time must submit an LEP Request Form to FINRA and receive confirmation from FINRA that the form has been processed before scheduling the exam or Continuing Education session.

This new policy replaces the current policy covering people who speak English as a second language.  Test center personnel will no longer be authorized to provide additional time to people who speak English as a second language or to people with limited English proficiency.

A person is considered to have “limited English proficiency” if they “(1) do not speak English as their primary language; and (2) have limited ability to read, speak, write and understand the English language.”

Further details on the new policy may be found on FINRA’s website.

Sources:

FINRA Information Notice 8/1/2012

Candidates with Limited English Proficiency (FINRA website)

This alert applies to all FINRA-administered exams.  This includes (among others) the Series 24, Series 26, Series 6, Series 7, Series 55, Series 62, Series 79, Series 82, Series 99, Series 56, Series 63, Series 65, and Series 66.

Exam Alert: FINRA to hold broker-dealers to a higher standard of customer care

Effective October 7, 2011, broker-dealers must adhere to stricter know-your-customer and suitability standards than before. The new rules require Continue reading

Effective October 7, 2011, broker-dealers must adhere to stricter know-your-customer and suitability standards than before.  The new rules require that consideration be given to a customer’s age, investment experience, time horizon, liquidity needs and risk tolerance, in addition to factors that were already required to be considered (other holdings, financial situation and needs, tax status and investment objectives).  These new requirements are similar to the fiduciary standard used by investment advisers. Relevant to the Series 7, Series 66, Series 24, Series 62 and Series 79 exam.

http://www.finra.org/Industry/Regulation/Notices/2011/P122779