Securities regulators are expected to unveil plans to step up checks on stockbrokers’ records, after investigations by The Wall Street Journal revealed flaws in the information available to investors. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a Wall Street watchdog, is set to propose rule changes on Wednesday that would require brokerage firms for the first time to do formal background checks on new employees, including brokers hired from other firms, according to a person familiar with the proposals. More in the Wall Street Journal here.