SEC probes NYSE listings of companies including Slack: WSJ

Was the playing field level for investors who bought shares of highly valued companies on their first day of trading?

Slack Technologies IPO day at NYSE/Bloomberg
The SEC asked for information from Citadel on how it opened Slack's first day of trading, according to the Wall Street Journal [File: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg]

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is probing the listings of Slack Technologies Inc and other companies known for getting high valuations while private on the New York Stock Exchange, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The regulators have asked electronic trading firm Citadel Securities, and at least one other firm for emails and other messages sent on the first day of trading, the newspaper reported

The SEC had also asked for information from Citadel on how it opened Slack’s first day of trading, the report said.

“NYSE places a premium on transparency, fair access and robust price discovery in helping companies access the public markets,” NYSE spokesman Farrell Kramer said in a statement.

An SEC spokesperson declined to comment, while Slack and Citadel did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters news agency.

Source: Reuters