(Feb. 20) Karen Martinez, director of the SEC's Salt Lake Regional Office, said the agency's Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations will continue trying to leverage data analytics "to identify signals of potentially illegal conduct." One particular unit - a team of risk-analysis examiners (RAE) - seeks to leverage its efforts by focusing on large and strategically important clearing firms. Once preliminary work is complete and a database for each firm is completed, examiners will be able to identify misconduct ranging from churning, suitability concerns and excessive fees to money laundering and insider trading.

(Feb. 26) The SEC plans to file a series of cases of hidden conflicts of interest at asset management firms, according to Julie Riewe, a co-chief in the asset management unit of the SEC's enforcement division, which focuses on bringing cases against investment advisers, who are required by federal securities laws to put their clients' financial interests ahead of their own. Riewe said some future cases may center on fee and expense misallocation by private equity funds, and "best execution" failures in which mutual funds fail to seek the best terms for clients.

(Feb. 25) The SEC's Division of Economic and Risk Analysis is using new data analytic tools to uncover risky activities at corporate issuers and to help prioritize broker-dealer inspections at firms that pose the greatest risk, said their chief economist at a risk assessment gathering. The division also is extending risk models to identify a variety of risks at registered investment advisers, using information they provide on their annual Form ADV.

(Feb. 24) Citi, BofA, and Credit Suisse are helping Freddie Mac grease the $6 trillion market for home-loan securities. As Freddie and Fannie are supposed to be unwinding their investment books to reduce the danger of a future blowup, company disclosures, bond-offering documents, and other data show Freddie taking new risks.