4 Interpretation
Part 1.4 Interpretation
1.4.1 References to time
In these Rules a reference to time is to the time in Sydney, Australia.
Note: There is no penalty for this Rule.
1.4.2 Words and expressions defined in the Corporations Act
Words and expressions defined in the Corporations Act will unless otherwise defined or specified in these Rules or the contrary intention appears, have the same meaning in these Rules.
Note: There is no penalty for this Rule.
1.4.3 Definitions
“Acquire” has the meaning given by section 9 of the Corporations Act.
“Approved Foreign Bank” has the meaning given by regulation 1.0.02 of the Corporations Regulations.
“Approved Securities” means those securities described as approved securities by the Market Operator under the Market Operating Rules.
“ASIC” means the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
“ASIC Act” means the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth).
“Australian Financial Services Licence” means a licence granted under section 913B of the Corporations Act.
“Block Trade” means any Trade which is executed via the Block Trade Facility.
“Block Trade Facility” means the facility provided by the Market Operator for Trading Contracts and referred to in the Market Operating Rules as the Block Trade Facility.
“Block Trade Order” means an Order in a Contract prescribed by the Market Operator which must be executed via the Block Trade Facility.
“Business Day” has the meaning given by section 9 of the Corporations Act.
“Call” means the demand for payment of a sum of money made upon a Client.
“Clearing Entity” means a person admitted as a participant under the Clearing Rules.
“Clearing Rules” means operating rules:
(a) as the term is defined in section 761A of the Corporations Act; and
(b) made by LCH.Clearnet.
“Client” means in relation to a Market Participant, any person, partnership or Corporation on behalf of whom the Market Participant enters, Acquires or Disposes of a Futures Contract or Option Contract, or on whose behalf the Market Participant proposes to enter, Acquire or Dispose of a Futures Contract or Option Contract or from whom the Market Participant accepts instructions to enter, Acquire or Dispose of Futures Contracts or Option Contracts.
“Client Account” means an account of a Client.
“Client Trade” means a Trade of a Market Participant held on behalf of a Client.
“Close Out” means to extinguish an Open Position by matching it with an offsetting Open Position and effecting the settlement of each such Open Position against the other.
“Contract” means a contract entered, Acquired or Disposed of on the Market or capable of being entered, Acquired, or Disposed of on the Market.
“Corporation” has the meaning given by section 9 of the Corporations Act.
“Corporations Act” means the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
“Corporations Regulations” means the Corporations Regulations 2001 (Cth).
“Cover” means cash and/or Approved Securities as determined by the Market Operator and held by a Market Participant against a Client’s liability from time to time.
“Clearing and Settlement Facility” has the meaning given by Division 6 of Part 7.1 of the Corporations Act.
“Deal”, “Deal In” or “Dealing” or cognate expressions have the meaning given by section 766C of the Corporations Act.
“Director” has the meaning given by section 9 of the Corporations Act.
“Dispose” has the meaning given by Chapter 7 of the Corporations Act.
“Employee” in relation to a Market Participant includes a Director, employee, officer, agent, Representative, consultant or adviser of that Market Participant, or an independent contractor who acts for or by arrangement with a Market Participant.
“Error Trade” means a Trade transacted in error.
“Exchange For Physical” means a transaction where:
(a) a bona fide physical transaction in a commodity or instrument is completed and physical delivery takes place at the time of the transaction or is intended by both parties to take place at a later time; and
(b) at or about the same time a Contract, opposite in effect, is entered, Acquired or Disposed of by a Market Participant or two Market Participants, for the same or similar quantity or amount of the commodity or a substantially similar commodity or instrument between Market Participants, on behalf of the parties to the physical transaction.
“Expression of Interest” means an enquiry made to a Market Participant either:
(a) to obtain the current best bid and/or offer in a particular Contract; or
(b) to enquire as to the volume that may be obtained at a given price,
but is not a firm Order to buy or sell.
“Financial Products” has the meaning given by Division 3 of Part 7.1 of the Corporations Act.
“Futures Contract” means a Contract designated as a “Futures Contract” by the Market Operator in the Market Operating Rules.
“House Account” means any account other than a Client Account.
“House Trade” means any Trade other than a Client Trade.
“In Writing” means written, typed, printed or lithographed, or partly one and partly another and including any other mode of representing or reproducing words in a visible form, including electronically produced, displayed and recorded matter.
“Initial Margin” means the amount which a Market Participant requires to be paid by a Client in respect of a Futures Contract entered into or proposed to be entered into on behalf of a Client.
“LCH.Clearnet” means LCH.Clearnet Limited (ARBN 142 251 045).
“Margin” means Initial Margin and Variation Margin.
“Market” means the market operated by the Market Operator under the Australian Market Licence (FEX Global Pty Ltd) 2013.
“Market Operator” means FEX Global Pty Ltd (ACN 124 127 224).
“Market Operating Rules” means the Operating Rules of the Market.
“Market Participant” means a participant in the Market admitted under the Market Operating Rules.
“Minimum Volume Threshold” means the threshold determined by the Market Operator under the Market Operating Rules, being the minimum number of lots in respect of each Contract.
“Month” means calendar month.
“Open Position”: An open position exists where the obligations under a Contract held by a party, which has not been closed out, are yet to be performed and will refer as the context requires either to an open position as defined by the Clearing Rules, held by a Clearing Entity, or to such an open position which is held by a Market Participant on the instructions of a client, including open positions held, where applicable on markets other than the Market.
“Operating Rules” has the meaning given by section 761A of the Corporations Act.
“Option” or “Option Contract” means an Option over:
(a) a Futures Contract or a number of Futures Contracts; or
(b) an Option over an Underlying Physical,
as listed by the Market Operator.
“Order” means an instruction to enter into a Contract, or an instruction to amend or cancel a prior instruction to enter into a Contract.
“Order System” means a software application, satisfactory to the Market Operator, for entering Orders into the Trading Platform through a Terminal.
“Other Regulated Entities” means entities prescribed by regulations made for the purposes of paragraph 798H(1)(c) of the Corporations Act, that must comply with these Rules.
“Pre-Opening Period” has the meaning given by the Market Operating Rules.
“Principal Trader” has the meaning given by the Market Operating Rules.
“Related Body Corporate” has the meaning given by section 9 the Corporations Act.
“Representative” has the meaning given by section 910A of the Corporations Act.
“Roll Business” means trading a position from the nearest delivery month to an equivalent position in a different delivery month.
“Rules” means these Market Integrity Rules.
“Strategy Trade” means a Trade designated by the Market Operator as a strategy trade under the Market Operating Rules.
“Terminal” means an automated Order entry interface through which an Order System routes Orders to the Trading Platform.
“Trade” and similar expressions mean “trade” as defined in section 9 of the Corporations Act.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Market is open for Trading.
“Trading Participant” has the meaning given by the Market Operating Rules.
“Trading Platform” means a facility made available by the Market Operator to Market Participants for the entry of trading messages, the matching of Orders, the advertisement of invitations to Trade and the reporting of transactions.
“Underlying Physical” means the asset, instrument, index, reference rate or any other thing, excluding a Futures Contract, whose price movement determines the value of the Contract.
“Variation Margin” means the difference between the value of a Futures Contract or Option Contract as shown in the Contract, and the value of that Contract at any given time.
Chapter 2: The Market Participants
Part 2.1 Notification
A Market Participant must notify ASIC as soon as practicable upon becoming aware that the Market Operator or a regulatory agency is investigating and/or has instituted proceedings against it.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
Part 2.2 Supervision and risk management
2.2.1 Limits and connections
(1) Limits
A Market Participant must demonstrate prudent risk management procedures, including, but not limited to:
(a) set and document appropriate pre-determined Order and/or position limits on each of its Client Accounts, including a volume per Order limit, an aggregate loss limit and an aggregate net session limit, based on the Market Participant’s analysis of the Clients’ financial resources or other relevant factors;
(ab) set and document appropriate pre-determined Order and/or position limits on each of its House Accounts, including a volume per Order limit, an aggregate loss limit and an aggregate net session limit, based on the Market Participant’s analysis of its financial resources or other relevant factors;
(b) set and document maximum price change limits;
(c) the limits determined in Rules 2.2.1(1)(a), (ab) and (b) must be input by a Market Participant’s risk manager into Trading Platform account maintenance and will be established as preset accounts;
(d) limit setting capability must exist in the Market Participant’s Order System which reflects prudent account risk management and the Order System must have Order rejection capability where Orders are in excess of limit parameters set by the Market Participant;
(e) the Market Participant may amend the pre-determined Order and/or position limit based on the Market Participant’s analysis of the Clients’ financial resources (in the case of a Client Account) or its financial resources (in the case of a House Account) or other relevant factors; and
(f) Orders in excess of the agreed pre-determined limits must be rejected by the Market Participant’s Order System and may be rejected by the Trading Platform.
(2) Connections
(a) Any Market Participant who has permitted its Client to connect to a Terminal will be responsible under these Rules for any Orders entered through the Terminal by the Client.
(ab) Any Market Participant who has connected to a Terminal for the purpose of Trading for a House Account will be responsible under these Rules for any Orders entered through the Terminal;
(b) ASIC may at any time by notice to a Market Participant, require a Market Participant to terminate a connection referred to in paragraph (a) or (ab) either generally or in relation to a particular individual, Client, system or device or class of system or device.
(c) As soon as a Market Participant receives notification under Rule 2.2.1(2)(b), it must promptly take all steps necessary to terminate such connection.
(3) Obligations prior to Client connection
Prior to permitting any Client to connect to a Terminal the Market Participant must:
(a) satisfy itself that the Client has the necessary skills, facilities and procedures to operate such a facility;
(b) satisfy itself that the Client understands the risks and obligations attached to the use of such a facility;
(c) ensure that each Order so placed, and any Order System complies with the Rules;
(d) provide appropriate controls on the connection of its Clients and its staff to such systems;
(e) provide appropriate controls on the access to passwords of its Clients and its staff to such systems; and
(f) ensure appropriate controls are implemented for the security of its Clients’ premises and physical access of its Clients and its staff to such systems.
(4) Obligations in relation to proprietary connection
Prior to connecting to a Terminal for the purpose of Trading for a House Account, and at all times while connected to a Terminal for the purpose of Trading for a House Account, a Market Participant must:
have the necessary skills, facilities and procedures to operate such a facility;
understand the risk and obligations attached to the use of such a facility;
ensure that each Order so placed, and any Order System, complies with the Rules;
provide appropriate controls on the access to passwords of the Market Participant and its Employees to such systems; and
ensure appropriate controls are implemented for the security of its premises and physical access of the Market Participant and its Employees to such systems.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.2.2 Concentration of risk
(1) A Market Participant other than a Principal Trader must not permit any one Client to represent such a percentage of the Trading by the Market Participant as may prejudice or diminish the ability of the Market Participant to meet its obligations under these Rules and at law.
(2) For the purposes of this Rule 2.2.2, “Client” includes all persons, partnerships and Corporations related to, associated with or affiliated with the Client or otherwise financially dependent upon the Client.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
2.2.3 Prohibited employment
(1) A Market Participant must not employ any person who has been a participant in a licensed market (or a Director, partner, employee or Representative of a participant in a licensed market) if that person has to the knowledge of the first mentioned Market Participant taken part or been concerned in any failure to comply with:
these Rules or the ASIC Market Integrity Rules (ASX 24 Market) 2010, which failure has been found to have occurred by ASIC;
the Market Operating Rules, which failure has been found to have occurred by the Market Operator;
the Operating Rules of the market operated by Sydney Futures Exchange Limited in force prior to the commencement of the ASIC Market Integrity Rules (ASX 24 Market) 2010, which failure has been found to have occurred by the Sydney Futures Exchange Limited; or
the Operating Rules of the market operated by ASX Limited in force prior to the commencement of the ASIC Market Integrity Rules (ASX Market) 2010, which failure has been found to have occurred by ASX Limited.
(2) For the purposes of this Rule 2.2.3 the words “to employ” and cognate expressions include agreeing or arranging with a person for that person to act as the Market Participant’s Representative to advise or solicit instructions from other persons or to Trade, on the Market Participant’s behalf in relation to Dealings in Contracts.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.2.4 Order records and accounting records
(1) Client Orders
A Market Participant, other than a Principal Trader, must maintain internal records of instructions received from Clients and Trades executed for Clients for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date of the Trade, containing the following information:
(a) the nature of the instructions received, including information about: the commodity, the name of the market, delivery Month, buy or sell, number of lots and price/limit;
(b) the Client name/account number and Client ID;
(c) the person who gave the instructions;
(d) the time and date of receipt of the instructions, and the person who received the instructions;
(e) the time and date of transmission of the instructions, and the person who transmitted the instructions; and
(f) the time and date of execution of the instructions, and the person who executed the instructions.
(2) Proprietary Orders
A Market Participant must maintain records of its Representatives’ Trading for a House Account for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date of a Trade, containing the following information:
(a) the time and date of receipt of instructions;
(b) the nature of the instructions received;
(c) the person who received the instructions;
(d) the time and date of transmission of those instructions, and the person who transmitted the instructions; and
(e) the time and date of execution of those instructions, and the person who executed the instructions.
(3) Error Trades
A Market Participant must maintain a separate record of all Error Trades for a period of not less than five (5) years from the date of a Trade, containing the following information:
(a) a description of the Trade including the deal number supplied by the Market Operator (if any);
(b) the name of the Representative responsible for the Error Trade;
(c) the name of the Representative responsible for the execution of the Trade;
(d) a detailed explanation as to how the Trade occurred, including details of the original Client Order (if any) which precipitated the error;
(e) any subsequent action taken by the Market Participant in relation to that Trade; and
(f) the financial result of the Trade.
(4) Accounting records
(a) A Market Participant must maintain such accounting records as correctly record and explain the transactions of the Market Participant and the financial position of the Market Participant.
(b) In relation to Calls, a Market Participant must at all times maintain such accounting records as accurately indicate in respect of each Call for Initial Margin or Variation Margin made upon Clients:
(i) the date and time at which such Call was received;
(ii) the amount of such Call;
(iii) the extent to which the Call was payable by reason of:
(A) Trading undertaken by the Market Participant on its own account or an account of a related corporation; and
(B) Trading undertaken by the Market Participant for Clients, so that the amount of any such Call is apportioned accordingly;
(iv) the extent to which the Call was met from:
(A) monies in the Clients’ segregated account; and
(B) other sources (specifying those sources and the amount satisfied from each such source); and
(v) the date and time at which such Call was met.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
2.2.5 Client documentation
(1) Subject to Rule 2.2.5(2), a Market Participant must have in force, prior to the commencement of Trading for a Client, a duly signed agreement with that Client, containing minimum terms to the following effect:
(a) Client to provide information
In relation to the Client’s Trading on the Market, the Client will upon the Market Participant’s request, provide all information and documentation relevant to that Trading, to the Market Participant and the Market Participant is authorised by the Client to provide the information and documentation to ASIC.
(b) Margins
Unless the Market Participant is performing executing business only and the Client has an agreement in place with a Clearing Entity, or is otherwise exempted under these Rules, an acknowledgment by the Client that:
the Market Participant may Call for payment of Margin such money or property (or Call for the lodgement of Approved Securities in lieu thereof) as the Market Participant, in its absolute discretion, feels is necessary to protect itself from the personal obligation incurred by Dealing in Contracts on behalf of the Client;
should the Client fail to meet the Call (or lodge Approved Securities) then the Market Participant may (without prejudice to any other rights or powers under the agreement) and without creating an obligation to do so, Close Out, without notice, all or some of the Client’s Contracts;
the time for payment of Margins is of the essence and if no other time is stipulated by the Market Participant prior to Calling a Margin then the Client is required to comply within twenty-four (24) hours;
liability to pay the Initial Margin accrues at the time the Trade is executed regardless of when a Call is made;
liability to pay Variation Margin accrues at the time the Margin comes into existence regardless of when a Call is made; and
the Client is responsible to pay in cash any deficit owing to the Market Participant after closure and that if the Client defaults in payment of such deficit, the Market Participant may realise any securities held by the Market Participant and apply the proceeds against that deficiency.
(c) Tape recordings
An acknowledgment by the Client that the Client’s telephone conversations with the Market Participant can be recorded by the Market Participant. The Client is to be given the right to listen to any recording in the event of a dispute or anticipated dispute.
(d) Right to refuse to Deal
An acknowledgment by the Client that the Market Participant reserves the right to refuse to Deal on behalf of the Client in relation to any Dealings in Contracts (other than Closing Out existing Open Positions held in the Market Participant’s account on behalf of the Client) or limit the number of Open Positions held on behalf of the Client or both. The Market Participant will inform the Client of any refusal at or before the time of the Client placing the Order or as soon as possible thereafter.
(e) Termination and Closing Out
An acknowledgment that:
without affecting any existing obligations or liabilities, either the Client or the Market Participant may terminate the agreement at any time by giving the other notice In Writing to that effect; and
upon termination of the Client agreement that unless otherwise agreed In Writing the Market Participant will Close Out all the Client’s Futures Contracts and Close Out, abandon or exercise any Options not yet exercised.
(2) Exception
Rule 2.2.5(1) does not apply:
(a) to a Principal Trader;
(b) where the Client is another Market Participant, and the Market Operating Rules provide that an agreement containing the terms of Rule 2.2.5(1) is deemed to have been entered and come into effect immediately upon the Market Participant accepting the first instruction from the Client to enter a Contract; or
(c) where the Market Participant is performing execution business only and has an agreement in place with the Client that incorporates the provisions set out in the International Uniform Brokerage Execution Services (“Give-Up”) Agreement 2008 (both client and trader versions).
Maximum penalty: $100,000
2.2.6 Clients’ segregated account obligations
A Market Participant, who holds Client monies, must comply with the following:
(a) Client money
All money received by the Market Participant from its Clients or by a person acting on behalf of the Client under these Rules or the Market Operating Rules must be deposited in an account maintained by the Market Participant and designated as a Clients’ segregated account.
If the account is operated outside Australia and the law in force in the jurisdiction where it is maintained requires the account to be designated in a particular way, the Market Participant must designate the account in that way.
Where omnibus accounts are operated by a Market Participant (e.g. on behalf of another broker), a House Account and Client Account are to be maintained separately at all levels in the chain to the clearing and settlement facility level.
A Market Participant must not net off the Client Account against the House Account.
(b) Type of money to be paid into an account
Only the following monies are permitted to be paid into a Clients’ segregated account:
all money received by the Market Participant from its Client or by a person acting on behalf of its Client;
interest on the amount from time to time standing to the credit of the account;
interest or other similar payments on an investment, and the proceeds of the realisation of an investment; and
any other money as required by the Rules or Market Operating Rules or the law to be paid by the Market Participant into a Clients’ segregated account.
(c) When money must be paid into an account
The money must be paid into a Clients’ segregated account on the day it is received by the Market Participant, or on the next Business Day.
(d) Permitted withdrawal
Withdrawals from a Clients’ segregated account made in any of the following circumstances are permissible:
paying Margins and the settling of Dealings;
making a payment to, or in accordance with the written direction of, a person entitled to the money;
defraying brokerage and other proper charges;
paying to the Market Participant money to which the Market Participant is entitled, whether at law or under the Rules or Market Operating Rules; and
making a payment that is otherwise authorised by law.
(e) Payment to another Australian Financial Services licensee
If payment referred to in Rule 2.2.6(e)(ii) is made by the Market Participant to the holder of an Australian Financial Services Licence, the Market Participant must ensure that Australian Financial Services licensee is notified, at the same time as the payment is made or as soon as practicable after, that the money:
(A) has been withdrawn from an account of the Market Participant maintained for Rule 2.2.6; and
(B) should be paid into an account of the Australian Financial Services licensee maintained for Rule 2.2.6.
If the Australian Financial Services licensee who receives the payment in Rule 2.2.6(e)(i) is also a Market Participant, it must, not later than the day after it receives the payment, pay the money received into an account maintained by it for Rule 2.2.6.
(f) Requirement to deposit additional monies in Clients’ segregated account
Where five (5) clear Business Days (inclusive of the day of the Call) after a Call has been made on a Client for Initial Margin or Variation Margin in accordance with the Market Operating Rules, or such Call should have been made in accordance with the Market Operating Rules, the Call which was or should have been made has not been satisfied by payment of monies into a Clients’ segregated account or lodgement of Cover, then the Market Participant must pay into the Clients’ segregated account an amount of money not less than either:
(A) the liability of the Client under such a Call; or
(B) the amount which the Market Participant would be obliged to Call the Client on the day after five (5) clear Business Days (inclusive of the day of the Call) has elapsed, whichever is the lesser.
Subject to Rule 2.2.6(f) such monies may only be withdrawn in accordance with Rule 2.2.6(d) and only after such monies have been received by the Market Participant.
The Market Participant must pay into the Clients’ segregated account after five (5) clear Business Days, any amount (which has not been met by the Client), which arises as a result of debit balances of a Client resulting from realised losses or otherwise.
(g) Prohibited agreements
A Market Participant is prohibited from making any agreement with a Client that the Client’s money is not to be held or does not need to be held in a segregated account for the benefit of the Client.
(h) Permissible investments
Where a Market Participant invests money from a Clients’ segregated account, the following kinds of investments may be made:
investment in any manner in which trustees are for the time being authorised by law to invest trust funds;
investment on deposit with an eligible money market dealer;
investment on deposit at interest with:
(A) an Australian ADI; or
(B) an Approved Foreign Bank;
the acquisition of cash management trust interests;
investment in a security issued or guaranteed by the Commonwealth or a State or Territory;
investment on deposit with a licensed Clearing and Settlement Facility; or
an investment in accordance with the specific direction of a Client.
(i) Monies invested
Where a Market Participant invests money from a Clients’ segregated account then:
the Market Participant must, prior to investing any amount, obtain the Client’s written agreement to the following matters:
(A) the making of the investment;
(B) how earnings on the investment are to be dealt with;
(C) how the realisation of the investment is to be dealt with;
(D) how any losses made on the investment are to be dealt with; and
(E) the fee (if any) that the Market Participant proposes to charge for the investment; and
such investment must be readily realisable and no less than fifty per cent (50%) of monies invested must be on twenty-four (24) hour call.
(j) Separation of Market Participants’ Trading liabilities from Clients’ Trading liabilities
A Market Participant must not use a Clients’ segregated account to meet any Initial Margin or Variation Margin liabilities which relate to Trading by that Market Participant on its own behalf or on behalf of a related corporation.
(k) Accounting records for withdrawals
A Market Participant must at all times maintain such accounting records as accurately indicate each withdrawal from a Clients’ segregated account.
(l) Definition of Client
For the purposes of Rule 2.2.6, “Client” excludes a Related Body Corporate or a division of the Market Participant.
(m) Property
For the purposes of Rule 2.2.6(m), “property” includes credit facilities and securities.
On the receipt of property, a Market Participant must:
(A) deposit the property in safe custody on or before the next Business Day after the property is received or deposited;
(B) create and maintain the following records:
(I) date property received/deposited in safe custody; and
(II) particulars of the property so deposited.
A Market Participant must keep Client property segregated from the Market Participant’s own property and Market Participants must be able to liquidate Client property as soon as practicable when required.
A Market Participant must not use property held in safe custody to satisfy a Market Participant’s debt.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.2.7 Mandatory recording of information by Market Participants
Recording by Market Participant
(a) Each Market Participant dealing with Clients must record, via telephone lines and/or other electronic device, at its own expense, all conversations with Clients and other parties relating to Client instructions.
(b) Each Market Participant must ensure that internal desks transmit all Orders to the futures desks in such a way that instructions are recorded via a telephone line or other electronic device.
(c) Should circumstances arise where a Client has placed instructions in a manner where there is no electronic or other record, the Market Participant must ensure that the Client’s instructions are recorded in some manner.
(d) Recordings and records maintained under Rule 2.2.7 must be retained for a minimum three (3) Month period.
(e) Where the Representative of the Market Participant having the relevant conversation is doing so from outside Australia, under an arrangement whereby the Market Participant arranges for other Representatives of the global group to take Orders on behalf of the Market Participant during certain hours each Trading Day (“rolling the book”), the Market Participant must maintain recordings and records for the period which is customary for regulated intermediaries conducting similar Trades in that jurisdiction to retain such records.
(f) Market Participants must ensure that all equipment used to record, including electronic devices, is functional at all times.
(g) For the purposes of this Rule 2.2.7 in respect of a Market Participant which is a Corporation, a “Client” includes a Related Body Corporate or a division of the Market Participant—which is separate from the Market Participant’s futures division.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
2.2.8 Supervisory procedures
A Market Participant must have appropriate supervisory policies and procedures to ensure compliance by the Market Participant and each person involved in its business as a Market Participant with these Rules, the Market Operating Rules and the Corporations Act.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.2.9 Disclosure statement
(1) A Market Participant must disclose to each Client of the Market Participant located in Australia, before accepting the first order from the Client to enter into a transaction on the Market that will be cleared and settled by LCH.Clearnet, the differences between the Clients’ transactions being cleared and settled by LCH.Clearnet and an Australian-based clearing and settlement facility, including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) that LCH.Clearnet’s principal place of business is located in the United Kingdom, and that the clearing and settlement facility is regulated primarily under the regulatory regime of the United Kingdom; and
(b) that the rights and remedies of investors whose transactions are cleared and settled through LCH.Clearnet may differ from the rights and remedies of investors whose transactions are cleared and settled by an Australian-based clearing and settlement facility.
(2) Where a Market Participant is required to make disclosure to a Client under Rule 2.2.9(1) the Market Participant must obtain written acknowledgement from that Client that the disclosure required under Rule 2.2.9(1) has been made to it.
(3) A Market Participant must keep a record of each disclosure made under Rules 2.2.9(1) and each Client acknowledgement under Rule 2.2.9(2) for a period of five (5) years.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
Part 2.3 Account reconciliation obligations
2.3.1 Application of Part
(1) This Part applies to a Market Participant who holds Client monies.
(2) For the purposes of this Part:
“Client” excludes a Related Body Corporate or a division of the Market Participant.
“Clients’ Segregated Account at Bank” means the Total Third Party Client Monies held in the clients’ segregated account relating to futures contracts traded on any exchange.
“Deposits with a FEX Market Participant” means the total amount of third-party client funds paid to another Market Participant.
“Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Clearing Entity” means the total amount of third-party client funds paid to Clearing Entities of LCH.Clearnet in relation to transactions in futures contracts.
“Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Client Account” means the total amount of third-party client funds, including margin amounts, lodged with LCH.Clearnet in relation to transactions in futures contracts.
“Deposits with an Overseas Broker” means the total amount of third-party client funds lodged with an Overseas Broker in relation to transactions in futures contracts.
“Director/Employee Monies” means, in respect of transactions in futures contracts dealt on any exchange, the total amount of money received from:
(a) any director, or officer, of the Market Participant; and
(b) any employee of the Market Participant.
“Total Deposits” in Rule 2.3.2 means the sum of Rules 2.3.2(2)(c)(i)–(vi); and in Rule 2.3.3 means the sum of Rules 2.3.3(3)(c)(i)–(vi).
“Total Futures Client Monies” means the total amount of money received from Clients in respect of transactions in futures contracts, including amounts relating to futures contracts traded on any exchange.
“Total Third Party Client Monies” means Total Futures Client Monies less Director/Employee Monies.
“Variation” means Total Third Party Client Monies less Total Deposits.
2.3.2 Daily reconciliation of client funds
(1) Subject to Rule 2.3.2(3), a Market Participant must perform an accurate reconciliation, by 7.00 pm on the Business Day after the Business Day to which the reconciliation relates, of the aggregate balance held by it at the close of business on each Business Day in clients’ segregated accounts maintained under Rule 2.2.6 and the corresponding balance as recorded in the Market Participant’s accounting records.
(2) The reconciliation referred to in Rule 2.3.2(1) must set out:
(a) the date to which the reconciliation relates;
(b) for both the day of the reconciliation and the prior day, the dollar amounts of:
(i) Total Futures Client Monies;
(ii) Director/Employee Monies; and
(iii) Total Third Party Client Monies;
(c) for both the day of the reconciliation and the prior day, the dollar amounts of:
(i) Clients’ Segregated Account at Bank;
(ii) Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Client Account;
(iii) Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Clearing Entity;
(iv) Deposits with a FEX Market Participant;
(v) Deposits with an Overseas Broker;
(vi) funds invested in accordance with section 981C(a) of the Corporations Act; and
(vii) Total Deposits;
(d) the dollar amount of the Variation for both the day of the reconciliation and the prior day;
(e) the percentage amount of the Variation for both the day of the reconciliation and the prior day;
(f) an explanation of the reason for a Variation, if the dollar amount of the Variation is more than, or less than, zero; and
(g) where the movement in Total Futures Client Monies is greater than 20% from the prior day, an explanation of the reason.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.3.3 Monthly reconciliation of client’ funds
(1) Subject to Rule 2.3.3(5), a Market Participant must perform an accurate reconciliation of the aggregate balance held by it at the close of business on the last Business Day of each calendar month in clients’ segregated accounts maintained under Rule 2.2.6 and the corresponding balance as recorded in the Market Participant’s accounting records.
(2) The reconciliation referred to in Rule 2.3.3(1) must be given to ASIC by the last Business Day of the calendar month following the calendar month to which the reconciliation relates.
(3) The reconciliation referred to in Rule 2.3.3(1) must set out:
(a) the date to which the reconciliation relates;
(b) for both the last Business Day of the month of the reconciliation and the last Business Day of the prior month, the dollar amounts of:
(i) Total Futures Client Monies;
(ii) Director/Employee Monies; and
(iii) Total Third Party Client Monies;
(c) for both the last Business Day of the month of the reconciliation and the last Business Day of the prior month, the dollar amounts of:
(i) Clients’ Segregated Account at Bank;
(ii) Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Client Account;
(iii) Deposits with LCH.Clearnet Clearing Entity;
(iv) Deposits with a FEX Market Participant;
(v) Deposits with an Overseas Broker;
(vi) funds invested in accordance with section 981C(a) of the Corporations Act; and
(vii) Total Deposits;
(d) the dollar amount of the Variation for both the last Business Day of the reconciliation and the last Business Day of the prior month;
(e) the percentage amount of the Variation for both the last Business Day of the month of the reconciliation and the last Business Day of the prior month;
(f) an explanation of the reason for a Variation, if the dollar amount of the Variation is more than, or less than, zero; and
(g) where the movement in Total Futures Client Monies is greater than 20% from the last Business Day of the prior month, an explanation of the reason.
(4) A reconciliation created for the purposes of this Rule 2.3.3 must contain a statement signed by a Director or a person authorised in writing by a Director, stating that the signatory believes, and has no reason not to believe, that the reconciliation is accurate in all respects.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.3.4 Obligation to notify ASIC about daily reconciliation
A Market Participant must notify ASIC, in writing, within 2 Business Days if:
(a) a reconciliation has not been performed in accordance with Rule 2.3.2;
(b) according to a reconciliation performed under Rule 2.3.2, Total Deposits is less than Total Third Party Client Monies; or
(c) if it is unable to reconcile its clients’ segregated accounts under Rule 2.3.2.
Maximum penalty: $100,000
2.3.5 Annual declarations for clients’ funds
(1) A Market Participant must prepare and give to ASIC within 3 months of the end of the financial year of the Market Participant:
(a) a directors’ declaration containing the information set out in Form 1 Part 1 of these Rules, authorised in the manner specified in Rule 2.3.5(2); and
(b) an auditor’s report containing the information set out in Form 1 Part 2 of these Rules, signed by a partner or director of the audit firm.
(2) For the purposes of this Rule, a directors’ declaration must be authorised by:
(a) 2 directors of the Market Participant whose names appear in the declaration; or
(b) 1 director (‘first director’) of the Market Participant and 1 representative of the Market Participant, whose names appear in the declarations, where the representative has been authorised by the board or by a director other than the first director.
(c) 2 representatives of the Market Participant whose names appear in the declaration and who have been authorised by the board or each authorised by a different director of the Market Participant to give the declaration.
Maximum penalty: $1,000,000
2.3.6 Scope of audits
(1) A Market Participant must give its auditor access to its premises and Employees and all records, documents, explanations and other information required by the auditor in respect of any audit conducted under Rule 2.3.5(1)(b).
(2) A Market Participant must:
(a) not impose any limitation on the extent of any audit required under Rule 2.3.5(1)(b); and
(b) permit and direct the auditor to notify ASIC immediately if any limitation is imposed on the auditor, or if the auditor is hindered or delayed in the performance of the auditor’s duties.
(3) The records of each of the Market Participant’s nominee companies must be included in the audit under Rule 2.3.5(1)(b).
Maximum penalty: $100,000