ASIC Takes Legal Action Against Macquarie Securities Over Misreporting
ASIC Takes Legal Action Against Macquarie Securities Over Misreporting
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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has initiated legal proceedings against Macquarie Securities Limited, accusing the company of engaging in misleading conduct related to the misreporting of short sales.
This lawsuit, filed in the NSW Supreme Court, points to a significant duration of alleged misreporting that spanned over 14 years, from December 2009 to February 2024.
According to ASIC, Macquarie failed to accurately report the volume of short sales by at least 73 million, with estimates suggesting the actual number could be between 298 million and 1.5 billion short sales.
This legal action marks ASIC's fourth regulatory move against Macquarie Group within a little over a year. At the heart of ASIC’s allegations are multiple, long-term systems-related failures that went undetected for years. Accurate short sale reporting is considered crucial as it contributes significantly to understanding market sentiment, assessing risks, and maintaining the integrity of financial markets. Short sale data, used by various stakeholders including investors and regulators, plays a key role in ensuring transparency and confidence in market operations.
ASIC Chair Joe Longo emphasized the importance of the current legal action amid recent global market volatility. He highlighted that the provision of accurate data is fundamental for the credibility of Australia's financial markets, which depends heavily on the reliability of information used by investors to make informed decisions. Longo also expressed concern over Macquarie’s failure to detect and address the systemic issues contributing to this long-standing misreporting, which he suggested demonstrates a lack of attention to technological governance and operational controls.
This development not only highlights regulatory challenges but also stresses the vital need for financial institutions to maintain robust systems for compliance with reporting obligations introduced in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. Moving forward, the industry watches closely as the legal proceedings unfold, signaling potential repercussions for firms that may face similar scrutiny from regulators keen on safeguarding market integrity.
Published:Wednesday, 14th May 2025 Source: Paige Estritori
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