What’s Best For The Customer Doesn’t Matter According To Finra CEO Ketchum

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Brokerdealer.com blog update profiles Finra CEO, Richard Ketchum has come back at the Department of Labor (DOL), as it proposed to raise invesment advice standards for broker dealers. Ketchum claims this could cause firms to discontinue sales of individual retirement accounts as it would force there be a bias against products with higher fees, regardless of what’s best for the customer. This brokerdealer.com blog update profiling the implications of this new DOL proposal is courtesy of InvestmentNews article, “Finra’s Ketchum criticizes DOL fiduciary rule“, with an excerpt below.

Finra’s CEO Richard Ketchum criticized a Department of Labor proposal to raise investment advice standards for brokers Wednesday, saying it might cause firms to curtail — or even discontinue — sales of individual retirement accounts.

Mr. Ketchum said the DOL proposal would create a bias against financial products with higher fees, even if they’re the best recommendation for a client, and that it could force firms to move to a fee-based rather than brokerage business model. He also said it’s not a good idea to regulate retirement products, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, differently than other investments.

The Securities and Exchange Commission should take the lead in drafting a fiduciary-duty rule “across all securities products,” Mr. Ketchum told reporters on the sidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc’s annual conference in Washington. SEC Chairwoman Mary Jo White favors such a rule, but has acknowledged it’s not clear whether she has the support of the five-member panel to make a proposal.

To continue reading about Finra CEO Ketchum and his take on the DOL proposal and his opinion on the SEC acting on this issue first, click here.

 

Broker Dealers Prepare For Freaky Fast Delivery IPO Courtesy Of Jimmy John’s

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Jimmy John’s is a franchised sandwich restaurant chain, specializing in “freaky fast” delivery and is based out of Champaign, Illinois. Jimmy John’s is currently owned by Jimmy John Liautaud and Weston presidio. Brokerdealer.com blog update profiles as this sandwich restuarant chain reportedly gears up to launch an IPO. The chain has been around since 1983 but has only recently grew in popularity, currently there are more than 2,000 locations in 43 states. This Brokerdealer.com blog update is courtesy of Reuters’ article, “Exclusive: Gourmet sandwich chain Jimmy John’s prepares IPO – sources“, with an excerpt below. 

To contact a brokerdealer to help you get in on this freaky fast IPO, click here.

Jimmy John’s Franchise LLC is preparing for an initial public offering that could value the popular U.S. gourmet sandwich chain at more than $2 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

Jimmy John’s, which is owned by founder Jimmy John Liautaud as well as private equity firm Weston Presidio, is interviewing investment banks to serve as underwriters for an IPO that could come later this year, three people said.

Jimmy John’s has annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of roughly $150 million, the people added.

The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Representatives of Jimmy John’s and Weston Presidio did not respond to requests for comment.

To continue reading about Jimmy John’s likely IPO happening later this year, click here.

Brace For Impact: China Nuclear Firm Plans For Explosive IPO

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Brokerdealer.com blog update profiles an explosive IPO coming from a top China nuclear power giant, China National Nuclear Power Corp. The nuclear power giant is hoping to raise as much as $2.16 billion, making it China’s largest IPO in the last five years. This IPO follows China’s recent efforts to move away from coal as power source. The China Securities Regulatory Commission approved the IPO on Friday, 22, 2014, and the launch date for CNNPC’s IPO is scheduled for June 2, 2015. This blog update is courtesy of the Wall Street Journal’s article, “China Nuclear Firm Plans Biggest Domestic IPO in 5 Years” by Yifan Xie, with an excerpt below.

To find an international brokerdealer to help you invest in this huge new IPO, click here.

China National Nuclear Power Corp., one of the top two state nuclear-power giants, will raise as much as $2.16 billion in what is set to be the country’s largest domestic initial public offering in five years.

CNNPC plans to sell up to 3.89 billion new shares, or a quarter of its total, in the sale, according to its IPO prospectus, filed to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Monday. The offering’s expected launch date is June 2.

The share float is poised to be the largest in the domestic market since China Everbright Bank Co. raised $2.6 billion in Shanghai in August 2010, according to data provided by Dealogic.

China National Nuclear Group holds a 97% stake in CNNPC. About 40% of China’s total nuclear energy is generated by operators controlled by CNNPC. Excluding issuance-related fees, the firm will raise 13.4 billion yuan ($2.16 billion), according to the prospectus. CNNPC will allocate 4.18 billion yuan of the raised capital to replenish its holdings of cash, and will invest the rest in the construction of projects in Fujian, Zhejiang, Hainan and Jiangsu provinces. Citic Securities, UBS AG and China Securities are the underwriters for the deal.

To continue reading about this explosive new IPO about to hit the markets, click here.

International Fraud Lands New York BrokerDealer In Hot Water

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Brokerdealer.com blog update profiles New York broker dealer, Robert Depalo, being charge with several charges after a year long investigation discoverd Depalo was running a highly sophisticated international fraud scheme. Depalo schemed more than 20 wealthy London investors with the help of 37 year old associate, Joshua Gladtke. Both are being charged by the Manhattan DA as well as the SEC. This update is courtesy of the Wall Street Journal’s article, “Manhattan DA Charges NY Broker-Dealer in International Fraud“, with an excerpt below. The Manhattan district attorney’s office charged New York broker-dealer Robert Depalo with running a sophisticated investment fraud, following a yearslong investigation that the office nearly dropped after hitting a dead-end. Prosecutors alleged in court documents that Mr. Depalo duped more than 20 high-net-worth investors in London into pouring $6.5 million into a fraudulent investment vehicle called Pangaea Trading Partners LLC. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed similar civil charges Wednesday afternoon. The alleged scheme involves a complicated trail of money and sham entities that not only befuddled investors but prosecutors as well, the people said. It also highlights the efforts of the district attorney’s office to pursue increasingly complex and international cases that are more frequently handled by city prosecutors’ federal counterparts blocks away at the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office.

To continue reading about the international fraud scheme, Depalo’s charges, click here

Spotify Preps For Rumored IPO With Videos And New Services

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As rumors continue to circulate about whether or not Spotify, a commercial music streaming company, will launch an IPO later this year, more and more seem to believe that they will launch as they make large changes to their services.  Originally from Sweden, Spotify,  is available in 58 countries and is currently the leading provider of streaming music by subscription. It offers millions of songs in two versions: free with advertising, and an all-access paid version that in most countries costs about $10 a month. Spotify currently has around 60 million users around the world, 15 million of which pay. As for now Spotify hasn’t announced plans for an IPO and refuses to comment on the matter but most speculators think it is in our near future. This brokerdealer.com blog update profiles the new services Spotify is adding that could help boost the company for an IPO. This update is courtesy of The New York Post’s article, “Spotify launching video, news services ahead of IPO” by  Claire Atkinson, with an excerpt below.

Let’s go to the video, Spotify’s chief exec says.

The world’s biggest audio music streamer, with 60 million active users, said Wednesday it decided to broaden its offering, in part to capitalize on Americans’ long commutes, Spotify’s CEO told The Post in a private interview.

“A lot of Americans are sitting in their cars for a long time,” explained CEO Daniel Ek, who was in New York to announce at a press conference a slew of new business initiatives with the help of Tiësto, D’Angelo and Questlove.

“Tens of millions had connected to Spotify via Bluetooth but they still didn’t play music their entire drive,” said Ek, adding that heavy Spotify users wanted news, weather, traffic and podcasts, too, so he approached content providers about what they could offer.

The streaming music giant wants to expand its user base in advance of a much-hyped IPO, looking to take on the likes of Snapchat, YouTube and Facebook with a collection of video clips.

To continue reading about the changes in services for Spotify as they could soon launch an IPO, click here.