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By increasing the degree of risk attributed to certain assets, the proposed rules would require banks to hold proportionately more capital, potentially eating into returns on equity and profits. Making such lending more expensive will shrink credit available to historically under-served borrowers, something the industry is likely to fight, he said. Chen Xu, an attorney in the financial institutions group at Debevoise & Plimpton, said the new rules viewed high-revenue business lines as higher risk. Morgan Stanley (MS.N) analysts say the largest banks may take up to four years to set aside profits to comply with the new capital rules. Dennis Kelleher, head of the financial reform advocacy group Better Markets, said the banking industry had made similar complaints in the past which he believed had proven unfounded.

Persons: Mike Segar, Joe Saas, Chen Xu, Plimpton, Michael Barr, JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, Wells Fargo, Kevin Stein, Morgan Stanley, Richard Ramsden, Goldman Sachs, Ramsden, Dennis Kelleher, Douglas Gillison, Tatiana Bautzer, Nupur Anand, Saeed Azhar, Megan Davies, Anna Driver Organizations: Wall, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Industry, Financial Services, Bank Policy Institute, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Debevoise, JPMorgan, CNBC, Citigroup, Bank of America, Klaros Group, Banking Supervision, Better, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Washington, Wells, Basel

An AI (Artificial Intelligence) sign is seen at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China July 6, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoBOSTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Massachusetts securities regulators have opened an investigation into the ways in which investment firms use artificial intelligence in their interactions with investors, citing concerns about the technology's potential unchecked use. Others who received letters included Tradier Brokerage, US Tiger Securities, E*Trade, Savvy Advisors and Hearsay Systems, according to a spokesperson for Galvin, a long-serving Democrat and prominent state securities regulator. "If deployed without the guardrails necessary to ensure proper disclosure and consideration of conflicts, I am concerned that this technology could result in harm to investors," Galvin said in a statement. The investigation came a week after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed requiring broker-dealers to eliminate possible conflicts of interest from the use of artificial intelligence on trading platforms.

Persons: Aly, Bill Galvin, Morgan Stanley, Galvin, Nate Raymond, Chris Prentice, Mark Porter, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, REUTERS, BOSTON, JPMorgan Chase, US Tiger Securities, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Massachusetts, Boston, Washington

☆ US bank regulators announce sweeping proposals on capital rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators unveiled a sweeping overhaul Thursday that would direct banks to set aside billions more in capital to guard against risk. If fully implemented, the proposal would raise capital requirements for large banks by an aggregate 16% from current levels, with the brunt felt by the largest and most complex firms, regulators said. Here are key quotes about the proposal:FINANCIAL SERVICES FORUM CEO KEVIN FROMER"There is no justification for significant increases in capital at the largest U.S. ANDY DUANE, ATTORNEY AT POLUNSKY BEITEL GREEN "Raising capital requirements could see regional banks shift away from mortgage lending. Even larger bank lenders could continue to retreat from mortgage lending or impose sharp increase in fees passed along to borrowers."

Persons: KEVIN FROMER, RICK MECKLER, CHERRY, MAYRA RODRIGUEZ VALLADARES, KENNETH BENTSEN, BRIAN MOYNIHAN, ANDY DUANE, GREG BAER, Pete Schroeder, Matt Tracy, Tatiana Bautzer, Nupur Anand, Sinead Carew, Lananh Nguyen, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Regulators, NEW VERNON, NEW, MRV, AMERICA, FOX, Thomson Locations: U.S, CHERRY LANE, NEW JERSEY, Basel, United States, Washington, New York

☆ The SEC wants corporate America to tell investors more about cybersecurity breaches and what's being done to fight them
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Securities and Exchange Commission wants corporate America to tell investors more about cybersecurity breaches and what's being done to fight them. The SEC has voted 3-2 to adopt new rules on cybersecurity disclosure. It will require public companies to disclose "material" cybersecurity breaches within 4 days after a determination that an incident was material. Corporate America is pushing back, claiming that the short announcement period is unreasonable, and that it would require public disclosure that could harm corporations and be exploited by cybercriminals. Current cybersecurity rules are fuzzyCurrent rules on when a company needs to report a cybersecurity event are fuzzy.

Persons: Gary Gensler, Hope, cybersecurity, CISA, SIFMA, Gensler, Jensen Organizations: Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, Corporate America, Federal Register, prudential, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Industry, NYSE Group, Nasdaq, FBI, Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Williams Locations: America

But even though the scam targeted Morgan Stanley clients and the advisor admitted using a Morgan Stanley product to carry it out, the firm has fought efforts to hold it responsible. "So, effectively, Morgan Stanley is lending money to the victims of this scheme and that money then gets diverted into Shawn Good's pocket," Easley said. Morgan Stanley, which topped earnings expectations Tuesday thanks in large part to its wealth management business, declined an interview request. But more important than all of that, she said, was that he worked for Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley was among 16 firms charged, all admitting they violated federal securities laws.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Caitlin Andrews, It's, Shawn Edward Good, Good, Shawn Good, Michael F, Easley Jr, Shawn Good's, Easley, pilfered, Marc Fitapelli, Andrews, Fitapelli, Charles Hayward of, whatever's, Hayward, CNBC Andrews, I've, Caitlin, Louis Straney, Romeo Stelvio, Straney, Morgan Stanley's Organizations: Prosecutors, CNBC, Destiny, Easley, Eastern, Raleigh, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, IRS, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigators, Lexus, Porsche, Tesla, Securities and Exchange, SEC Locations: Carolina Beach , North Carolina, Morgan Stanley's Wilmington, North Carolina, of North Carolina, New York, Charles Hayward of Wilmington, Santa Fe , New Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Wilmington, N.C

☆ SEC punts on whether syndicated loans are securities, in closely watched appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Alison Frankel | Thomson Reuters | Alison Frankel Has Covered High-Stakes Commercial Litigation As A Columnist For Reuters Since A Dartmouth College Graduate | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Law firm alerts have gone so far as to call the appeal an “existential threat” to the entire syndicated loan market. The SEC later added to the suspense by requesting two more extensions from the 2nd Circuit, noting the complexity of the issue. On the other hand, any remaining uncertainty will be resolved as soon as the 2nd Circuit issues a ruling. But it’s a good bet that the trustee's lawyers from McKool will urge the 2nd Circuit to read the SEC’s silence as proof of the complexity of the issue. An earlier version incorrectly reported that Judge Michael Park was part of the 2nd Circuit panel that heard oral argument.)

Persons: Cromwell, JPMorgan Chase, Marc Kirschner, Paul Gardephe, Manhattan, Gardephe, McKool Smith, Jose Cabranes, Joseph Bianco, Myrna Perez, ”, Malcolm Stewart, Christopher Johnson, McKool, SEC wouldn’t, Michael Park, Alison Frankel, Leigh Jones Organizations: Sullivan, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, U.S, Circuit, SEC, 2nd, JPMorgan, Millennium, U.S . Justice Department, District, Trading Association, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Justice Department, U.S . Treasury Department, Thomson, Reuters Locations: U.S .

☆ US SEC scraps contentious pricing proposal in final money market fund reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Money market funds saw massive outflows in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the U.S. government to intervene to stabilize them. The panic was reminiscent of 2008 when a run on money market funds threatened to freeze up global markets and prompted the government to backstop the sector. Critics have said money market funds, which are a key source of short-term corporate and municipal funding, now enjoy an implicit government guarantee. In December 2021, the SEC proposed new liquidity requirements for money market funds, as well as scrapping redemption fees and restrictions. "I believe that liquidity fees, compared with swing pricing, offer many of the same benefits and fewer of the operational burdens."

Persons: Gary Gensler, John McCrank, Douglas Gillison, Michelle Price, Nick Zieminski, Emelia Organizations: YORK, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, SEC, BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity, U.S, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, Investment Company Institute, U.S . Chamber of Commerce, Thomson

☆ SEC to vote on new money-market rules Wednesday that industry opposes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The SEC is expected to vote on new rules for money-market funds Wednesday. Increase in liquidity requirements Most money market funds invest exclusively in cash or government securities. Some, known as "prime" money market funds, also invest in commercial paper. All are subject to liquidity requirements (some assets have to be readily convertible to cash), including levels of daily and weekly liquidity requirements. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), an industry trade group, wrote to the SEC, expressing "substantial concerns" about the liquidity requirements.

Persons: Jon, Luc Dupuy, SIFMA, Kenneth Bentsen, Brad Sherman, Sherman, Dupuy, redemptions Organizations: SEC, Federal, Bloomberg, CNBC, Asset Management, Investment Funds, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association

☆ US Supreme Court to decide legality of SEC in-house enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Andrew Chung | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington, U.S., June 29, 2023. The case represents the latest legal attack against the actions of the SEC, which enforces various federal laws that protect investors. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has signaled skepticism toward expansive federal regulatory power. The justices in 2018 faulted the way the commission selected its in-house judges, and in April allowed targets of actions by the SEC and other regulators to immediately mount challenges to agency processes in federal court. The SEC charges against Jarkesy and his firm proceeded before an in-house judge.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Evelyn Hockstein, George Jarkesy, Jarkesy, Paring, hemming Organizations: Reuters, U.S, Supreme, Securities, Exchange Commission, REUTERS, SEC, Patriot28, Circuit, Jarkesy Locations: Washington , U.S, Houston, disgorge, Constitution’s, ”

Banks typically provide research to clients as part of a broader offering of services, but that changed when the European Union introduced the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II laws in 2018 to improve transparency. "It took about a year for us to become compliant to MiFID II laws -- it was a long, intense process," said Candace Browning, head of BofA Global Research. U.S. financial firms were initially given an exemption by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which expires on July 3. "Companies continue to face challenges complying with the MiFID II unbundling requirement and U.S. law," said Joe Corcoran, SIFMA's managing director and associate general counsel for capital markets. 'EXPENSIVE AND COMPLICATED' In Europe, asset managers under MiFID II are not allowed to pay for research through broker commissions on trading -- instead, investors are billed separately by banks for research.

Persons: Banks, Candace Browning, Joe Corcoran, SIFMA's, SIFMA, MiFID, Michael Eastwood, Jefferies, Jesse Forster, BofA, salespeople, Browning, Forster, Russell Sacks, Nupur Anand, Lananh Nguyen, Deepa Babington Organizations: YORK, Bank of America Corp, Jefferies Financial, European Union, Financial, BofA Global, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, SEC, Jefferies, Coalition, King, Spalding, Thomson Locations: Europe, U.S, Greenwich, Coalition Greenwich, New York

☆ Asia lobby group pushes for easing of China's offshore listing rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, June 27 (Reuters) - China's new offshore listing rules for domestic companies have left bankers and lawyers who work on listings unsure how to take on liabilities and avoid breaching tightened confidentiality rules, Asia's largest financial lobby group said on Tuesday. China's long-awaited rules for offshore stock exchange listings came into effect on March 31 as part of a regulatory tightening on cross-border listings after years of a laissez-faire approach. Chao said the concept of such papers is vaguely defined, and also gave rise to disputes among investment banks and law firms over which side was primarily responsible for storing the documents. It's not good for Chinese companies who need to seek capital from the world," Chao said. The slowing Chinese economy, dimming offshore fundraising prospects, and heightened geopolitical tensions have prompted Wall Street and European banks to layoff investment bankers working on China deals in the last few months.

Persons: China's, Lyndon Chao, ASIFMA, Chao, Goldman Sachs, It's, Hong, Wall, Selena Li, Scott Murdoch, Kane Wu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Susan Fenton, Himani Organizations: China Securities Regulatory Commission, Asia Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, JPMorgan, UBS, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Beijing, New York, Hong Kong, China

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG, June 27 (Reuters) - China should allow cross-border sharing of information by financial firms operating in the country, a leading financial lobby group said, as authorities tighten control of data generated within its borders in a national security drive. Last July, China unveiled cross-border data review measures that require a security review for "important" offshore data transfers - a move that triggered confusion and concern among foreign financial firms operating in the country. The financial sector lobby group said cross-border transfer of data such as investment outlooks, portfolio analysis, shareholding information and anti-money laundering information should be allowed. However, ASIFMA said the data security rules have made operating in China "very painful" for some of its members. One major complaint from firms operating in China is that Chinese data rules are ambiguous, the lobby group said.

Persons: Alice Law, Lyndon Chao, ASIFMA, Chao, Neuberger Berman, They've, Law, Samuel Shen, Selena Li, Sumeet Chatterjee, Sonali Paul Organizations: Asia Securities Industry, Financial Markets Association, BlackRock, Fidelity International, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, U.S

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) - As talks over raising the U.S. government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling intensify, Wall Street banks and asset managers have begun preparing for fallout from a potential default. Citigroup (C.N) CEO Jane Fraser said this debate on the debt ceiling is "more worrying" than previous ones. U.S. government bonds underpin the global financial system so it is difficult to fully gauge the damage a default would create, but executives expect massive volatility across equity, debt and other markets. Banks, brokers and trading platforms are prepping for disruption to the Treasury market, as well as broader volatility. Bond trading platform Tradeweb said it was in discussions with clients, industry groups, and other market participants about contingency plans.

☆ China names head of NFRA as financial industry faces greater scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China has appointed the head of its powerful new financial watchdog, which was created as part of sweeping reforms aimed at reining in the $60 trillion industry. Currently, several provincial leaders had previous careers in the financial industry, including Wu Qing, vice mayor of Shanghai and formerly the chairman of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. China’s sprawling financial industry is coming under closer scrutiny as Xi and his key allies have asserted greater direct control over financial policy. For years, Xi has said the financial industry should better serve the real economy, including making money available to businesses that need it. To further consolidate control, according to analysts, the top anti-graft body has carried out a sweeping anti-corruption campaign in the financial industry, which has ensnared more than a dozen senior executives from state-owned financial institutions.

☆ Opinion | Here’s How Wall Street Is Preparing for a U.S. Debt Default
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

I asked her how confident she was in the contingency plan for a default that’s been developed by the Treasury Market Practices Group (more on that later). Damage is already being done, she said, pointing to the spike in interest rates on Treasury securities that mature around the time the Treasury is expected to run out of ways to delay hitting the debt ceiling. You try to prepare because you want to create the least disruption to the market.”SIFMA has written a playbook for what do in case of a disruption in Treasury payments. Two occur the evening before that date, at 6:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. The next three occur on the day that payments were scheduled to occur, at 7:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

☆ U.S. financial regulators to tighten rules on non-banks, systemic risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - Top U.S. regulators on Friday proposed new rules to speed the assessment of financial stability risks and make it easier to designate non-bank institutions as systemically important, subjecting them to Federal Reserve supervision. The multi-regulator Financial Stability Oversight Council released the proposals for public comment just over a month after two regional bank failures sparked the biggest financial system contagion threat since the 2008 financial crisis. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has raised concerns about non-bank financial institutions, including hedge funds, because of their lack of supervision and the potential for systemic spillovers from firms in distress. NOT USHedge fund, mutual fund and asset manager trade groups responded by saying that regulators should look elsewhere for threats to financial stability. The new framework also specifies vulnerabilities that FSOC and member regulators would consider when evaluating potential stability risks.

☆ Crisis jolts Wall Street bankers already resigned to tough job market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Tatiana Bautzer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street bankers face an increasingly gloomy job market after last month’s banking crisis worsened an already bleak outlook for pay and staffing. One likely consequence of the turmoil is that banks tighten their lending standards, which could further hinder dealmaking - making the prospects for jobs and compensation on Wall Street more gloomy. Now, financial industry workers are fretting not only about pay, but job security. The Wall Street giant typically cuts about 5% of its lowest-performing staff as part of the process. While there are plenty of reasons to be glum, Wall Street workers are enjoying one silver lining after the pandemic: greater flexibility in structuring their workday.

☆ Premarket stocks: The FDIC could ask big banks to clean up $23 billion mess
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

While regional and mid-sized banks are behind the recent turmoil, it appears that large banks may be footing the bill. Ultimately, that means higher fees for bank customers and lower rates on their savings accounts. The law also gives the FDIC the authority to decide which banks shoulder the brunt of that assessment fee. Passing it on: Regardless of who’s charged, the fees will eventually get passed on to bank customers in the end, said Isaac. In 2021, Wall Street was estimated to be responsible for 16% of all economic activity in the city.

☆ Wall Street lines up against SEC chair Gary Gensler on one of his most controversial proposals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

However, Gensler has claimed that pension funds and other institutional investors are not able to interact with that retail order flow. Auctions: the industry lines up against it The auction proposal has generated a large volume of comment letters to the SEC. He has said investors today need a better understanding of how well their trading orders are being executed. Theoretically, the SEC could vote on any or all of the four proposals in a shorter time period. This is just the start This is just the start of many proposals in front of the SEC.

☆ Wall Street Bonuses Fall by Most Since 2008
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Last year’s bonus pool was $33.7 billion, down from $42.7 billion the previous year, the comptroller’s office said. The average Wall Street bonus fell 26% last year, the biggest percentage drop since the financial crisis, as a slump in deal making cut into bankers’ compensation. Financial employees received average bonus checks of $176,000 last year, compared with a record high $240,000 a year earlier, the New York state comptroller’s office said in a report Thursday. The annual report measures bonuses paid to employees in New York’s securities industry and doesn’t include base salaries, stock options or other forms of deferred compensation.

☆ The average Wall Street bonus fell by 26% last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —The average annual Wall Street bonus fell to $176,700 last year, a 26% drop from the previous year’s average of $240,400, according to estimates released Thursday by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Rising interest rates, recession fears and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hurt Wall Street firms’ bottom line. “A 26% decline brings the average bonus closer to what financial employees received prior to the pandemic,” DiNapoli said in a statement. In 2021, Wall Street was estimated to be responsible for 16% of all economic activity in the city. “While lower bonuses affect income tax revenues for the state and city, our economic recovery does not depend solely on Wall Street.

☆ Ex-Morgan Stanley advisor charged with defrauding NBA players out of $13 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Former Morgan Stanley advisor Darryl Cohen was arrested on Thursday morning for allegedly defrauding current and former NBA players including Jrue Holiday, Chandler Parsons and Courtney Lee. Three others, including former NBA players agent Charles Briscoe, were also charged. Cohen was an advisor for Morgan Stanley from 2015 to 2021, according to his Financial Industry Regulatory Authority profile. The DOJ said in its indictment document that the alleged fraud schemes took place from roughly 2017 to 2020. "We fully cooperated with the investigation and have resolved clients' claims related to Mr. Cohen," Morgan Stanley said in a statement.

☆ China revives ruling party control of financial oversight
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Greg Baker | Afp | Getty ImagesBEIJING — The ruling Communist Party of China is establishing commissions to oversee finance and tech, state media announced Thursday. A new "Central Financial Commission" is set to strengthen the party's "centralized and unified leadership over financial work," state media said Thursday in Chinese, according to a CNBC translation. watch nowWhile state media did not specify, a financial work commission of the same name had been set up in the aftermath of the 1998 Asian financial crisis. Responsibilities of that party commission are borne by the restructured Ministry of Science and Technology. The State Council changes established a National Financial Regulatory Administration to oversee most of the financial industry — except for the securities industry.

☆ Main Street investors pressure SEC, confront Wall Street on stock plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, March 10 (Reuters) - Main Street investors are facing off against Wall Street in an attempt to sway the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in its proposed revamp of stock trading. The collective voice of individual investors has grown as their numbers surged, a lasting legacy from the so-called "meme stock" saga of early 2021. "A lot of folks are angry," said Dave Lauer, cofounder of We The Investors, a retail investor-focused advocacy group. Individual investors jumped into stock trading after big retail brokers eliminated commissions in late 2019. With weeks to go until the March 31 deadline for comment letters on the SEC proposals, Lauer said he was just starting his organization's comment letter campaign.

☆ Americanas scandal won't affect Brazil banks much even in "extreme scenario" - cenbank
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, March 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank stated on Thursday that the potential impact of the accounting scandal involving retailer Americanas SA on banks would be 'insignificant' even in an extreme scenario. Americanas (AMER3.SA) filed for bankruptcy in January after disclosing "accounting inconsistencies" worth 20 billion reais ($3.84 billion), leading banks to increase their provisioning in their most recent earnings release. The central bank noted that the provisions stem from "a specific event related to a large company" and have already absorbed most of the materialization of the risk. "The central bank estimated the remaining potential impact, plus a contagion scenario over the entire production and supply chain that depends on the company in a relevant way," it said. "In this extreme scenario, the impact on the consolidated financial system is insignificant and there would be no capital default in any financial institution," it added.

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