Banks Stocks the Next Tech-Bubble?
It comes as no surprise that the subprime/credit crunch crisis has led to an increased level of securities class action filings. Research firm Cornerstone just released a report which shows the financial sector was the target of the most filings with 63 in the first half of 2008 alone. The research is an indication that many believe there are disclosure issues which led to inflated stock prices.
But another area of concern is that brokers made speculative plays in these stocks on behalf of their retail clients. Sensing a bottom, many brokers loaded up theirclients with stocks like Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and even Bear Stearns. Trying to catch a falling knife is not an appropriate recommendation for an investor with amoderate or conservative risk profile and we are seeing such complaints become more common.
Clearly, brokers fell asleep at the wheel on two levels: there was no reasonable basis for expecting the financial services industry was finished with its subprime write-downs unless they were duped nor was there any reasonable basis for many investors to buy financial stocks during the past year and a half.
During the tech-bubble, we filed many claims on behalf of investors whose brokers pushed them into bottom fishing for tech stocks that were rightly beaten down. This is another example of Wall Street’s history repeating itself.
Needless to say, any broker who recommended buying bank stocks in the past year and a half should be prepared to explain their rationale in an arbitration hearing.
But another area of concern is that brokers made speculative plays in these stocks on behalf of their retail clients. Sensing a bottom, many brokers loaded up theirclients with stocks like Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and even Bear Stearns. Trying to catch a falling knife is not an appropriate recommendation for an investor with amoderate or conservative risk profile and we are seeing such complaints become more common.
Clearly, brokers fell asleep at the wheel on two levels: there was no reasonable basis for expecting the financial services industry was finished with its subprime write-downs unless they were duped nor was there any reasonable basis for many investors to buy financial stocks during the past year and a half.
During the tech-bubble, we filed many claims on behalf of investors whose brokers pushed them into bottom fishing for tech stocks that were rightly beaten down. This is another example of Wall Street’s history repeating itself.
Needless to say, any broker who recommended buying bank stocks in the past year and a half should be prepared to explain their rationale in an arbitration hearing.
Labels: Bear Stearns, Citigroup, Cornerstone, Merrill Lynch, subprime crisis
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