France, Italy, Spain, Belgium to Impose Short-Selling Curbs

France, Italy, Spain and Belgium plan to enact bans on short selling or on short positions, the European Securities and Markets Authority said today.

“Some authorities have decided to impose or extend existing short-selling bans in their respective countries,” ESMA said in a statement on its website. “They have done so either to restrict the benefits that can be achieved from spreading false rumors or to achieve a regulatory level playing field, given the close inter-linkage between some EU markets.”