Related provisions for DISP 1.2.4
An issuer, person discharging managerial responsibilities or connected person should consult with the FSA at the earliest possible stage if they:
- (1)
are in doubt about how the disclosure rules apply in a particular situation; or
- (2)
consider that it may be necessary for the FSA to dispense with or modify a disclosure rule.
Address for correspondence
Note: The FSA's address for correspondence in relation to the disclosure rules is:
Company Monitoring Team
Markets Division
The Financial Services Authority
25 The North Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London E14 5HS
Fax: 020 7066 8368
Table: This table belongs to COLL 6.3.2 G (2) (a).
Valuation and pricing |
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1 |
The valuation of scheme property |
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(1) |
Where possible, investments should be valued using a reputable source. The reliability of the source of prices should be kept under regular review. |
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(2) |
An investment for which different prices are quoted according to whether it is being bought or sold should be valued at its mid-market price. The instrument constituting the scheme should set out the valuation method that will apply where a single price for buying and selling a security is quoted. |
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(3) |
Any part of the scheme property of an authorised fund that is not an investment should be valued at a fair value, but for immovables this is subject to COLL 5.6.20 R (3) (f) (Standing independent valuer and valuation). |
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(4) |
For the purposes of (2) and (3), any fiscal charges, commissions, professional fees or other charges that were paid, or would be payable on acquiring or disposing of the investment or other part of the scheme property should be excluded from the value of an investment or other part of the scheme property. |
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(5) |
Where the authorised fund manager has reasonable grounds to believe that:
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(6) |
The circumstances which may give rise to a fair value price being used include:
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(7) |
In determining whether to use such a fair value price , the authorised fund manager should include in his consideration:
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(8) |
The authorised fund manager should document the basis of valuation (including any fair value pricing policy) and, where appropriate, the basis of any methodology and ensure that the procedures are applied consistently and fairly. |
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(9) |
Where a unit price is determined using properly applied fair value prices in accordance with policies in (8), subsequent information that indicates the price should have been different from that calculated will not normally give rise to an instance of incorrect pricing. |
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2 |
The pricing controls of the authorised fund manager |
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(1) |
An authorised fund manager needs to be able to demonstrate that it has effective controls over its calculations of unit prices. |
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(2) |
The controls referred to in (1) should ensure that:
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(3) |
In exercising its pricing controls, the authorised fund manager may exercise reasonable discretion in determining the appropriate frequency of the operation of the controls and may choose a longer interval, if appropriate, given the level of activity on the fundor the materiality of any effect on the price. |
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(4) |
Evidence of the exercise of the pricing controls should be retained. |
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(5) |
Evidence of persistent or repetitive errors in relation to these matters, and in particular any evidence of a pattern of errors working in an authorised fund manager's favour, will make demonstrating effective controls more difficult. |
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(6) |
Where the pricingfunction is delegated to a third party, COLL 6.6.15 R (1) (Committees and delegation) will apply. |
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3 |
The depositary's review of the authorised fund manager's systems and controls |
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(1) |
This section provides details of the types of checks a depositary should carry out to be satisfied that the authorised fund manager adopts systems and controls which are appropriate to ensure that prices of units are calculated in accordance with this section and to ensure that the likelihood of incorrect prices will be minimised. These checks also apply where an authorised fund manager has delegated all or some of its pricing functions to a third party. |
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(2) |
A depositary should thoroughly review an authorised fund manager's systems and controls to confirm that they are satisfactory. The depositary's review should include an analysis of the controls in place to determine the extent to which reliance can be placed on them. |
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(3) |
A review should be performed when the depositary is appointed and thereafter as it feels appropriate given its knowledge of the robustness and the stability of the systems and controls and their operation. |
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(4) |
A review should be carried out more frequently where a depositary knows or suspects that an authorised fund manager's systems and controls are weak or are otherwise unsatisfactory. |
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(5) |
Additionally, a depositary should from time to time review other aspects of the valuation of the scheme property of each authorised fund for which it is responsible, verifying, on a sample basis, if necessary, the assets, liabilities, accruals, units in issue, securities prices (and in particular the prices of unapproved securities and the basis for the valuation of unquoted securities) and any other relevant matters, for example an accumulation factor or a currency conversion factor. |
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(6) |
A depositary should ensure that any issues, which are identified in any such review, are properly followed up and resolved. |
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4 |
The recording and reporting of instances of incorrect pricing |
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(1) |
An authorised fund manager should record each instance where the price of a unit is incorrect as soon as the error is discovered, and report the fact to the depositary together with details of the action taken, or to be taken, to avoid repetition as soon as practicable. |
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(2) |
In accordance with COLL 6.6.11 G (Duty to inform the FSA), the depositary should report any breach of the rules in COLL 6.3 immediately to the FSA. However, notification should relate to instances which the depositary considers material only. |
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(3) |
A depositary should also report to the FSA immediately any instance of incorrect pricingwhere the error is 0.5% or more of the price of a unit, where a depositary believes that reimbursement or payment is inappropriate and should not be paid by an authorised fund manager. |
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(4) |
In accordance with SUP 16.6.8 R, a depositary should also make a return to the FSA on a quarterly basis which summarises the number of instances of incorrect pricing during a particular period. |
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5 |
The rectification of pricing breaches |
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(1) |
COLL 6.6.3 R (1) (Functions of the authorised fund manager) places a duty on the authorised fund manager to take action to reimburse affected unitholders, former unitholders, and the scheme itself, for instances of incorrect pricing, except if it appears to the depositary that the breach is of minimal significance. |
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(2) |
A depositary may consider that the instance of incorrect pricingis of minimal significance if:
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(3) |
In determining (2), if the instance of incorrect pricing is due to one or more factors or exists over a period of time, each price should be considered separately. |
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(4) |
If a depositary deems it appropriate, it may, in spite of the circumstances outlined in (2), require a payment from the authorised fund manager or from the authorised fund to the unitholders, former unitholders, the authorised fund or the authorised fund manager (where appropriate). |
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(5) |
The depositary should satisfy itself that any payments required following an instance of incorrect pricing are accurately and promptly calculated and paid. |
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(6) |
If a depositary considers that reimbursement or payment is inappropriate, it should report the matter to the FSA, together with its recommendation and justification. The depositary should take into account the need to avoid prejudice to the rights of unitholders, or the rights of unitholders in a class of units. |
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(7) |
It may not be practicable, or in some cases legally permissible, for the authorised fund manager to obtain reimbursement from unitholders, where the unitholders have benefited from the incorrect price. |
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(8) |
In all cases where reimbursement or payment is required, amounts due to be reimbursed to unitholders for individual sums which are reasonably considered by the authorised fund manager and depositary to be immaterial, need not normally be paid. |