SEC To Investigate Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Over Block-Trading Practices

Posted on February 23rd, 2022 at 3:03 PM
SEC To Investigate Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Over Block-Trading Practices

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law:

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has subpoenaed Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and several hedge funds in order to investigate the business of block trading.


The SEC intends to determine whether hedge funds may have improperly tipped clients ahead of large share sales, according to the Wall Street Journal. Sources familiar with the matter added that the SEC and other regulators have been monitoring block trades since as early as 2019. Some of the hedge funds that received subpoenas serve as “liquidity providers”, which typically facilitate the purchase of large quantities of stock or other securities when they lack interested buyers.


Block trading has become more prevalent in recent years as a record number of IPOs and secondaries have drastically increased liquidity. However, the issuance of subpoenas does not inevitably mean that the SEC will press charges because commentators suggest that the rules surrounding how hedge funds are permitted to inform their clients of impending block trades are somewhat ambiguous.


Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory and disciplinary matters.

 

 
 

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, SEC

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I want to thank you for your excellent professional representation. It was greatly appreciated.

Michael M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

November 26, 2025
Former GWG Chair Charged in Alleged $150 Million Fraud Scheme as Investor Losses Mount

Federal prosecutors have intensified scrutiny of the long-running collapse of GWG Holdings Inc., unveiling criminal charges against Bradley Heppner, the former chair of both GWG and Beneficient.

November 25, 2025
Financial Advisor Accepts FINRA Bar Amidst Investigation into Alleged Misappropriation

A financial advisor affiliated with a credit union connected to Raymond James Financial agreed to an industry bar after declining to cooperate with FINRA’s investigation into allegations that he misappropriated client funds.

November 24, 2025
Kyle Busch Alleges Considerable Losses in Indexed Universal Life (IUL) Scheme

Kyle Busch, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and his wife Samantha announced that they lost more than $8.6 million in what they describe as a “devastating financial scheme” involving an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance policy.