Hong Kong

HONG KONG'S financial regulator plans to speed up its probes and create teams focused on investigating specific areas of wrongdoing, such as market manipulation.

Thomas Atkinson, who became executive director and head of enforcement at the Securities and Futures Commission in May, wants to accelerate inquiries, according to a client note by law firm Ashurst LLP, whose staff attended an Aug 29 event at which Mr Atkinson spoke. The SFC will set up teams for manipulation, corporate fraud and brokerage misconduct, and also plans to upgrade its surveillance systems and encourage cooperation with local firms and global regulators, according to Ashurst.