Macquarie Slapped with Record $5M Fine for Market Manipulation Oversight

8

The information on this website is general in nature and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider seeking personal advice from a licensed adviser before acting on any information.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission's Markets Disciplinary Panel (MDP) levied a nearly $5 million fine, the highest in the MDP's history, on Macquarie for enabling questionable orders in the electricity futures market during highly volatile periods in 2022.

According to the watchdog, from January to September 2022, Macquarie allowed three clients to place suspicious orders 50 different times. These actions took place in the final trading minutes of each day, benefiting the clients' positions by manipulating settlement prices.

The MDP contended that Macquarie lacked adequate internal controls and surveillance mechanisms to detect and prevent these orders from creating a misleading impression in the market, an issue exacerbated in a post-Ukraine invasion energy landscape.

Joe Longo, ASIC's chair, criticized Macquarie’s conduct, emphasizing how critical it is for key market players to maintain stringent oversight. "Given Macquarie's pivotal role in the energy derivatives market, it has a fundamental duty to prevent suspicious activities," Longo stated.

Despite multiple warnings and six direct communications from ASIC highlighting evident risks, Macquarie failed to act in a timely manner, thereby allowing continued suspicious activity. The violations are particularly concerning given the chaos in global energy markets following Russia’s 2022 aggression against Ukraine.

Reacting to the fine, Macquarie acknowledged its deficiencies. "This situation arose from electronic trades in the electricity futures market by three commercial clients," a spokesperson for the bank admitted. "As the largest facilitator in this space across Australia and New Zealand, we bear significant responsibility."

The bank also mentioned taking immediate remedial actions and is committed to further improvements to its surveillance and monitoring capabilities. "We've introduced measures to escalate and effectively manage suspicious orders going forward," the statement concluded.

This development highlights regulators' increased vigilance and higher expectations for market participants, especially in volatile times and sectors crucial to national interests like energy.

Notably, the original article that elaborated on these infractions appeared under Nathan Schmidt on September 25, 2024.

Published:Monday, 30th Sep 2024
Source: Paige Estritori

Please Note: If this information affects you, seek advice from a licensed professional.

Share this news item:

Finance News

Clear

APRA's New Cap on High Debt-to-Income Home Loans: What Borrowers Need to Know

18 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has announced a significant policy change aimed at mitigating emerging risks in the housing market. Effective February 2026, APRA will impose a cap on high debt-to-income (DTI) home loans, limiting banks to issuing no more than 20% of new home loans with DTI ratios of six times or higher. This measure applies to both owner-occupier and investor loans, excluding new housing developments. - read more

Commonwealth Bank Raises Alarm on Unsustainable Home Loan Demand

18 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), the nation's largest lender, has recently voiced concerns regarding the escalating demand for home loans, suggesting that this surge may be contributing to unsustainable property price increases. CEO Matt Comyn highlighted that while the bank benefits from the current housing credit boom, a more moderate growth rate would better support long-term financial stability and housing affordability. - read more

Australian Home Prices Reach New Heights: Navigating the Affordability Challenge

18 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori

In November 2025, Australia's housing market experienced a 1% month-on-month increase in home prices, bringing the national median value to A$888,941. This follows a 1.1% rise in October, indicating a persistent upward trend in property values. The growth was particularly pronounced in mid-sized state capitals, with Perth leading at a 2.4% increase. Sydney and Melbourne saw more modest gains of 0.5% and 0.3%, respectively. - read more

Australia's Housing Market Approaches $12 Trillion Milestone

10 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori

Australia's residential property market is on the brink of reaching a historic valuation of $12 trillion, marking a significant milestone in the nation's real estate sector. Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) indicates that the total value of Australia's 11.41 million homes increased by 2.7% in the September quarter, adding $317 billion to the market's worth. This surge brings the average price of residential dwellings to $1,045,400, reflecting the robust growth in property values across the country. - read more

Australian Property Borrowing Hits Record $98 Billion in Q3 2025

10 Dec 2025: Paige Estritori

In the third quarter of 2025, Australian property buyers borrowed an unprecedented $98 billion, marking a significant surge in housing finance. This substantial increase, primarily driven by investors, has raised concerns among economists about potential regulatory interventions to curb the rapid growth. - read more

Click for more Finance News