The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced that its Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC) will hold a meeting on March 11 at 9:00 a.m. (ET). At this meeting, the GMAC will hear presentations and provide dialogue on matters related to retail participation in the derivatives markets.
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Adam P. Haft
FINRA Amends Arbitration Codes to Increase Arbitrator Chairperson Fees and Certain Arbitration Fees
On February 12, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued Regulatory Notice 21-04 (Notice), in connection with an amendment to FINRA’s Codes of Arbitration Procedure for Customer and Industry Disputes, regarding certain fees paid to arbitration chairpersons. FINRA Rules 12214 and 13214 were amended to increase the hearing-day chairperson fee from $125 to $250 to better compensate the chairperson for the additional training and responsibilities required of the position. Additionally, the amendments establish a new chairperson fee for an additional $125 for each prehearing conference that the chairperson leads, even if an arbitration case closes without a hearing.…
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New Rate for Fees Paid Under Section 31 of the Exchange Act
On February 16, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued an Information Notice (Notice) regarding a new fee rate applicable to specified securities transactions on the exchanges and in the over-the-counter markets. Such fee rate will decrease from its current rate of $22.10 per million dollars in transactions to a new rate of $5.10 per million dollars in transactions.…
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CFTC Approves NFA’s Swap Dealer Capital Model Review Program
On January 13, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Market Participants Division determined that the National Futures Association’s (NFA) swap dealer capital model requirements and review program are comparable with the CFTC’s swap dealer capital model requirements and review program. As a result, a capital model approved by NFA will be accepted as an alternative means of compliance with CFTC Regulation 23.102.…
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SEC Adopts Clearing Agency Rule to Limit Potential for Overlapping or Duplicative Regulation
On December 16, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it adopted a rule to limit the potential for overlapping or duplicative regulation within its security-based swap regulatory regime. Specifically, the rule exempts certain activities of security-based swap execution facilities (SEFs) and security-based swap dealers from triggering the requirement also to register as a clearing agency. The adopted rule is in line with similar exemptions for broker-dealers and national securities exchanges.…
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SEC Adopts Final Rules for the Disclosure of Payments by Resource Extraction Issuers
On December 16, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted to adopt final rules that will require resource extraction issuers that are required to file reports under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) to disclose payments made to the US federal government or foreign governments for the commercial development of oil, natural gas or minerals.…
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CFTC Issues Order of Registration to ICE Futures Abu Dhabi Limited to Permit Trading by Direct Access from the United States
On November 6, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it had issued an Order of Registration to ICE Futures Abu Dhabi Limited (IFAD), a Foreign Board of Trade (FBOT) incorporated in the Abu Dhabi Global Market and located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. …
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FINRA Releases Information Notice on Cybersecurity Authentication Methods
On October 15, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) released an information notice (Notice) providing additional background on authentication techniques for firms to consider as they implement cybersecurity authentication programs.…
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FINRA Releases Regulatory Notice on Revised NAC Sanction Guidelines
On October 20, the National Adjudicatory Council (NAC) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) revised the Principal Considerations in Determining Sanctions section of the FINRA Sanction Guidelines to expressly contemplate a customer’s age or physical or mental impairment. In connection therewith, FINRA released Regulatory Notice 20-37.…
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FINRA Requests Comment on Proposed Proceeding Rule for Failures to Comply With Qualification Examinations Rules of Conduct, Registration Requirements and Eligibility Proceedings Rules
On September 22, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued Regulatory Notice 20-33 that requested comment on (1) proposed formal procedures to bring actions against non-associated persons who cheat or misbehave during a FINRA qualification examination and (2) related amendments to FINRA’s registration requirements rule and eligibility proceedings rules.…
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