New York

WALL Street's industry-funded watchdog is ramping up its scrutiny of high-frequency trading firms as efforts to manipulate US markets through the technology grow more sophisticated, the regulator's chief said on Tuesday.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) will examine how well high-frequency trading firms are protecting their systems from unscrupulous traders who are trying to manipulate markets, according to a list of its 2016 examination priorities for Wall Street firms, published on Tuesday.