SEC’s IPO probe expands to include Morgan Stanley
Investment Executive, 26 February 2003
“The Securities and Exchange Commission, expanding a probe into alleged IPO abuses, has signaled to Morgan Stanley that it may file civil charges alleging the securities firm doled out shares to investors based partly on their commitments to buy additional stock after trading began, people familiar with the matter say,” writes Randall Smith in today’s Wall Street Journal.
“The SEC staff has informally indicated to Morgan Stanley that it plans to send a so-called Wells notice notifying the firm of the planned charges, the people said. The development suggests the SEC’s investigation into such “laddering” of stock sold in initial public offerings could be heating up. The probe is one of the last major regulatory crackdowns on Wall Street excesses that characterized the 1990s stock-market bubble.”
