The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co US$1 million and ordered US$188,000 in restitution plus interest for failing to provide best execution in certain customer transactions involving corporate and agency bonds, and failing to provide a fair and reasonable price in certain customer transactions involving municipal bonds.
The requirement to pay restitution is in addition to restitution that Morgan Stanley paid previously to customers for transactions covered by this settlement.
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FINRA found that Morgan Stanley failed to use reasonable diligence to ensure that the purchase or sale price to the customer was as favourable as possible under current market conditions in 116 customer transactions involving corporate and agency bonds.
Additionally, in 165 transactions involving municipal bonds, Morgan Stanley failed to purchase or sell bonds at prices reasonably related to the fair market value of the subject security.
In concluding this settlement, Morgan Stanley neither admitted nor denied the charges, but consented to the entry of FINRA’s findings.
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