Author:  "Shanthala Raj" <shanthala_r@hotmail.com> at Internet
Date:    12/17/1999  6:34 PM

Subject: Re: Proposed Regulation FD
 
Regarding this Regulation FD:
     
I currently work in the investment side, and I can think of no better way of 
forcing brokerages into actually earning their hefty commissions than this 
proposal. It is amazing how many analysts coast on their ability to attain 
company information (as opposed to actually earning a reputation for good 
analysis through industry and company experience as well as financial 
knowledge). I personally never want to listen to what an analyst says simply 
because they have access to information I don't have. I want to listen to 
them because they know what they're talking about (because they have an 
intimate understanding of an industry's workings, and the role the companies 
he or she covers plays in that industry). This proposal will be the first 
step towards eventually forcing out of the game those people that have no 
business being there. It will also, I hope, encourage every American person 
who thought they had no business investing in the market (because they 
thought they could never really do it well unless they had some shark of a 
broker tell them what to do)to start doing so. With social security quickly 
turning into a faraway dream, IRA's and 401(K)'s are the new hope; however, 
how are they of any use unless one fully understands how to invest his or her 
money according to their objectives? Much remains to be done, but I 
vehemently believe that this proposal is a move in the right direction. 
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