Madrid Stock Exchange 2015 Ombudsman Report

THE VOLUME OF CLAIMS HANDLED GROW AFTER SIX YEARS OF GRADUAL DECREASE

• The trend of decreasing claims remains in absolute terms. Up to 2009 it consistently      exceeded 30
• Retail investors remain the main applicants for information, at over 80%
• In the last quarter requests for information on the Reform of Registration, Clearing and      Settlement increased significantly

In 2015 and for the first time since 2008, there has been an increase in the volume of claims handled, at 10, compared to 6 last year. The arbitration work of the Investor Ombudsman reached 60% in 2015, the lack of conflict being worth of particular note. The claims that ended in mutual agreement account for 40% and the remaining 20% were deemed unfavourable for the investor by the Ombudsman office.

“Information on Corporate Actions remain the category with the highest number of requests for information as it is the one that most affects market trends and with the highest impact on stock prices”, statedCarlos Fernández, Madrid Stock Exchange Ombudsman, during the presentation of its 2015 Report.

As regards the informative function, the retaill investor is the main applicant for  information, representing 83% of the total, a record high. In the last quarter of the year and foreseeably, in 2016, information requests on the the Reform of Registration, Clearing and Settlement have increased significantly following the submission to investors by entities of written information on this matter. 

"In this sense, the Ombudsman Office provides investors with information on specific matters and orientates them in an appropriate manner, without assessing the different options put forward to them by the entities in their submissions”, added Carlos Fernández.