Nasdaq Earmarks $40 Million to Pay for Mishandled Facebook IPO Orders

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Posted on 07 Jun 2012

Nasdaq OMX Group Inc.'s plan to earmark $40 million for brokers whose orders were mishandled in Facebook Inc.'s initial public offering will hurt competition, according to NYSE Euronext.

The second-biggest U.S. stock-exchange operator said yesterday that it would pay $13.7 million in cash, with the rest of the money credited through lower trading fees for members who took losses. That step was criticized by the New York Stock Exchange owner, which said it compels customers to trade on Nasdaq to get refunds. The Securities and Exchange Commission must approve Nasdaq's plan before it can be implemented.

"This is tantamount to forcing the industry to subsidize Nasdaq's missteps and would establish a harmful precedent," NYSE Euronext said in an e-mailed statement. "We intend to strongly press our views that Nasdaq's proposal cannot be allowed to permit an unjust and anti-competitive situation."

Delays and malfunctions on the Nasdaq Stock Market were the first signs of trouble in the May 18 Facebook IPO that burned investors, cost Wall Street market makers an estimated $120 million and prompted lawsuits against the company, its exchange and the underwriters.