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The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) announced that it has fined Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. $725,000 for failing to disclose certain conflicts of interest in its research reports and research analysts’ public appearances.
Citigroup failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest inherent in their business relationships in certain research reports it published from January 2007 through March 2010. Citigroup and/or its affiliates managed or co-managed public securities offerings, received investment banking or other revenue from, made a market in the securities of and/or had a 1 percent or greater beneficial ownership in covered companies, and did not make these required disclosures in certain research reports. In addition, Citigroup research analysts failed to disclose these same potential conflicts of interest in connection with public appearances in which covered companies were mentioned.
Brad Bennett, FINRA Executive Vice President and Chief of Enforcement, said, “Citigroup failed to make required conflict of interest disclosures which prevented investors from being aware of potential biases in its research recommendations. Firms need to provide investors with full and accurate information so they will be able to take it into consideration before making an investment decision.”
FINRA found that Citigroup failed to disclose the required information because the database it used to identify and create the disclosures was inaccurate and/or incomplete due primarily to technical deficiencies. In addition, Citigroup failed to have reasonable supervisory procedures in place to ensure that the firm was populating its research reports with required disclosures.
In concluding this settlement, the firm neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA’s findings.