Bank stops conflict of interest trade

HSBC Holdings has instructed about 6 000 employees of its global markets division to cease buying single-name securities on their personal accounts, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. Purchases of single-name stocks, bonds and concentrated exchange-traded funds would be prohibited, global head of markets Thibaut de Roux told staff in an e-mail on Friday, said the sources who asked not to be identified discussing internal communications. The changes also apply to employees managing the lender’s own balance sheet, the sources said. A London-based spokesperson for the bank declined to comment. Employees would be allowed to maintain existing holdings of securities prohibited by the new rules, while any sales must be pre-approved by compliance personnel, staff were told. Managers had been instructed to be vigilant in such approvals and decline requests if necessary, the sources said. HSBC would not be the first big bank to toughen a policy addressing conflicts of interest. Goldman Sachs Group barred investment bankers from trading individual stocks and bonds in 2014. By contrast JPMorgan Chase allows traders to deal for their personal gain through approved brokers. It bans “speculative and other short-term investment activity” or purchasing the securities of a client, according to a 2016 rule book. A spokesperson declined to comment. Barclays employees are allowed to trade single-name securities, though the bank’s policy is currently under review. – Bloomberg