A comparative analysis of the enforcement of market abuse provisions
- Authors: Chitimira, Howard
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Corporation law -- South Africa , Insider trading in securities -- South Africa , Securities -- South Africa , Efficient market theory , Securities fraud
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , LLD
- Identifier: vital:10240 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015008
- Description: Market abuse practices may directly or indirectly give rise to diverse problems such as inaccurate stock market prices, low public investor confidence, reduced market integrity and poor efficiency in the affected financial markets. This thesis reveals that three major forms of market abuse, namely insider trading, prohibited trading practices (trade-based market manipulation) and the making or publication of false, misleading or deceptive statements, promises and forecasts relating to listed securities (disclosure-based market manipulation) are prohibited in South Africa. However, although South Africa has had market abuse legislation for about 30 years, and must be commended for its great effort to enhance market integrity by combating market abuse practices, the enforcement of such legislation is still problematic. Moreover, in spite of the fact that there is no empirical data or accurate figures quantifying the occurrence and extent of market abuse activities in the South African financial markets, this thesis submits that market abuse practices are still to be completely eradicated. Accordingly, this thesis suggests that the aforementioned problem might have been aggravated by inter alia, various gaps, flaws and/or inconsistent implementation and enforcement of the market abuse legislation in South Africa. To this end, the anti-market abuse enforcement framework under the Securities Services Act 36 of 2004 is analysed to investigate its adequacy. The co-operation and role of the Financial Services Board, the courts, the Directorate of Market Abuse and other relevant stakeholders is also examined and discussed. Moreover, the co-operation between the Financial Services Board and similar international agencies is discussed to gauge its effectiveness in relation to the combating of cross-border market abuse practices. The adequacy of the awareness and preventative measures in place to curb market abuse practices is also investigated to determine whether such measures are robust enough to combat other new challenges that were posed by the 2007 to 2009 global financial crisis. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is undertaken of the enforcement of the market abuse prohibition in other jurisdictions, namely the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Australia. This was done to investigate the relevant lessons that can be learnt or adopted from these jurisdictions. The thesis further discusses the adequacy of the recently introduced provisions of the Financial Markets Bill as well as the subsequent market abuse provisions of the Financial Markets Bill 2012. The thesis highlights that the aforementioned Bills are positive attempts by the policy makers to improve the enforcement of the market abuse provisions in South Africa. Nonetheless, the thesis reveals that most of the shortcomings contained in the Securities Services Act 36 of 2004 were duplicated in the Financial Markets Bill and the Financial Markets Bill 2012. In light of this, it remains to be seen whether the market abuse provisions contained in the Financial Markets Bill and/or the Financial Markets Bill 2012 will improve the combating of market abuse practices in South Africa. Consequently, it is hoped that the relevant market abuse provisions of the Securities Services Act 36 of 2004, the Financial Markets Bill and/or the Financial Markets Bill 2012 will be comprehensively reviewed in regard to the recommendations made in this thesis. To this end, the thesis proposes a viable anti-market abuse model and policy framework and sets out both policy objectives and provisions which policy makers could use to strengthen some of the market abuse provisions in South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The regulation of insider trading in South Africa: a roadmap for effective, competitive and adequate regulatory statutory framework
- Authors: Chitimira, Howard
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Insider trading in securities , Insider trading in securities -- South Africa , Financial instruments -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:11116 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/230 , Insider trading in securities -- South Africa , Financial instruments -- South Africa
- Description: Insider trading is one of the practices that (directly or indirectly) lead to a host of problems for example inaccurate stock market prices, high inflation, reduced public investor confidence, misrepresentation and non disclosure of material facts relating to securities and financial instruments. Again it reduces efficiency in the affected companies and eventually leads to economic underperformance. The researcher observed that the South African insider trading regulatory framework has some gaps and flaws which need to be adequately addressed to ensure efficient and stable financial markets. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide a clear roadmap for an effective, efficient, adequate and internationally competitive insider trading regulatory framework in South Africa. In order to achieve the above stated aim, the historical development of the regulation insider trading is critically analyzed. The effectiveness and adequacy of the Insider Trading Act, 135 of 1998 is also discussed. Furthermore, the prohibition of insider trading under Securities Services Act, 36 of 2004 is explored and analyzed to investigate its adequacy. The role of the Financial Services Board, the Courts and the Directorate for Market Abuse is also scrutinized extensively. Moreover, a comparative analysis is undertaken of the regulation of insider trading in other jurisdictions of United States of America, Canada and Australia. This is done to investigate any lessons that can be learnt or adopted from these jurisdictions. The researcher strongly contends that having the best insider trading laws on paper alone will not cure the insider trading problem. What is required are adequate laws that are enforced effectively in South African courts. Therefore an adequate insider trading regulatory framework must be put in place to improve the efficiency of South African financial markets, to maintain a stable economy, combat misrepresentation and non disclosure of material facts in transactions relating to securities. The researcher has attempted to state the law as at 31 August 2007.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008