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ASIC accuses Westpac of insider trading
ASIC has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against Westpac for insider trading, unconscionable conduct and breaches of its AFSL obligations.
ASIC accuses Westpac of insider trading
ASIC has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against Westpac for insider trading, unconscionable conduct and breaches of its AFSL obligations.
The allegations relate to Westpac’s role in executing a $12 billion interest rate swap transaction with a consortium of AustralianSuper and a group of IFM entities.
According to a statement issued by ASIC on Wednesday, the transaction occurred on 20 October 2016 and was associated with the privatisation of a majority stake in the electricity provider Ausgrid by the NSW government – the largest interest rate swap transaction executed in one tranche in Australian financial market history.
At about 7am on 20 October 2016, the consortium signed an agreement with the NSW government for the acquisition of Ausgrid.
ASIC alleges that by about 8:30am on 20 October 2016, Westpac knew, or believed, it would be selected by the consortium to execute the interest rate swap transaction on that morning.
ASIC alleges this was inside information.
“When the market opened at 8:30am, while in possession of the alleged inside information, Westpac’s traders acquired and disposed of interest rate derivative products in order to pre-position Westpac in anticipation of the execution of the swap transaction,” ASIC said.
ASIC alleges that Westpac’s trading occurred while it was in possession of information that was not generally available to other market participants, including those that traded with Westpac that morning.
The consortium, via a special purpose vehicle, executed the interest rate swap transaction with Westpac at 10:27am.
“ASIC alleges that Westpac’s trading on the morning of 20 October 2016 had the potential to impact the price of the swap transaction to the detriment of the consortium or the special purpose vehicle.”
In addition to the insider trading allegation, ASIC also alleges that the circumstances surrounding Westpac’s trading on the morning of 20 October 2016, including its failure to provide to the consortium full and informed disclosure about its intention to pre-position its trading books prior to and with notice of the execution of the swap transaction, amounted to unconscionable conduct.
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