As more companies list on foreign exchanges to escape the heavy regulatory hand of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is considering postponing some deadlines small and foreign companies face for establishing strict internal controls over their financial reporting.
Companies have complained that the rules, which require tough checks on audit procedures, are costly and burdensome. SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said in a statement Wednesday that the delays would allow regulators to "redesign" internal controls rules to make them more efficient and cost-effective for investors.
The proposal comes just one day after the London Stock Exchange released figures at its annual meeting showing that it attracted 50 international companies from 15 countries to its main market and junior market, the Alternative Investment Market [AIM], during the first six months of this year. Between them, they raised $8.6 billion.
In contrast, during the first five months of the year only 15 foreign companies listed on the NYSE and Nasdaq exchanges combined.
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