Deutsche Securities to Face Antitrust Warning in Japan

Tokyo, March 9 (Jiji Press)--Deutsche Securities Inc., a Japanese unit of Germany's Deutsche Bank, is likely to face an antitrust warning in Japan over European government bond trading, informed sources said Thursday. Japan's Fair Trade Commission plans to issue the warning against Deutsche Securities for a possible violation of the antimonopoly law, the sources said. The FTC suspects Deutsche Securities of holding consultations with another securities firm on yields, selling and buying methods and other conditions over European government bonds offered to wealthy people and institutional investors, the sources said. Officials of the two companies involved in the bond transactions were found to have exchanged messages about the deals online. The other firm is expected to avoid a warning as it has carried out preventive measures, the sources said. Deutsche Securities declined to comment. The FTC usually issues a cease-and-desist order for antitrust acts, including price-fixing, while it issues a warning when it finds a suspected violation of the law but with lack of evidence. END