From
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040330/financial_sec_specialists_4.html
'inferior prices for their trades, or failing to get their trades executed at all, regulators said.
Between 1999 and 2003, individuals at the firms frequently executed orders for their own dealer accounts, instead of matching customers' orders with each other where possible.
Spear Leeds will pay $45.3 million under the settlement. Parent Goldman Sachs last week reported first-quarter net profits of $1.29 billion, more than double the year-ago level.
Michael LaBranche, chief executive of LaBranche & Co., said he had no comment. His company will pay $63.5 million in the settlement. LaBranche & Co., the NYSE's largest share dealer, in January posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $156.9 million.
Fleet Specialists spokesman Charles Salmans said the firm had cooperated with regulators and is happy to have reached a settlement. It will pay $59.1 million under the agreement.
Dutch market maker Van der Moolen will pay $57.7 million; Bear Wagner, $16.3 million, regulators said in a statement.
The NYSE said on Monday the profitability of the seven specialist firms fell sharply in 2003. Thain said questions about their profits are "legitimate."
LaBranche said earlier this month it must refinance $100 million of debt or possibly sell assets or issue shares.
"The financial condition of the specialist firms is definitely a concern of the New York Stock Exchange ... We are comfortable with their financial condition," Thain said. (Additional reporting by John Poirier in Washington; Jake Keaveny, Brendan Intindola, Nicole Maestri in New York) '.