What information must fiduciaries under FINRA Rule 2060 protect?

The correct choice pertains to the ownership of an issuer's securities, which fiduciaries must protect due to the sensitive nature of this information. Under FINRA Rule 2060, fiduciaries are individuals or entities that have a legal and ethical obligation to act in the best interest of their clients. This includes safeguarding any material information related to the clients' investments, particularly in regards to ownership stakes in securities.

Ownership of securities is considered material non-public information; disclosing this type of information could lead to conflicts of interest or insider trading, which are illegal and unethical practices in the financial industry. Therefore, fiduciaries must maintain strict confidentiality over this information to uphold their obligations and protect their clients’ interests.

In contrast, while the other options—such as confidential client lists, trade execution records, and market forecasts—do contain critical data, they do not carry the same implications of proprietary ownership and direct fiduciary responsibility specifically outlined in this context of protecting client interests. This distinction highlights the importance of confidentiality around ownership of securities in a fiduciary role, setting it apart from other types of information in the realm of financial management.