I write with reference to the article titled 'Brokers manipulating markets by stealth, says financial regulator' (Sunday Tribune, 9 August). While the bulk of the article was a reasonable summary of our view that market-abuse law should be tightened up in relation to unfulfilled orders, the first paragraph suggested that we had a particular concern focused on "Dublin stockbrokers".

The headline suggested that we had drawn the conclusion that brokers were actively engaged in manipulation. This is untrue. We never communicated to the Sunday Tribune nor have drawn any such conclusion. The summary in our annual report of a case which led to your initial interest in the subject also carries no such conclusions. When it comes to market abuse we investigate not only regulated authorised entities such as stockbrokers, but the general public and listed issuers also. We believe that no public interest is served by suggesting that 'brokers' or 'Dublin stockbrokers' as a group are under suspicion of manipulating the market when there is no basis for such a claim.

Jill Forde,

Press Office,

Financial Regulator.