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☆ 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

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.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ 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.

☆ China's State Council shakeup aims to counter rising US tech restrictions and financial risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“These proposed institutional changes reflect key focus areas of Chinese policymakers in the next few years, namely improving financial regulation coordination to enhance financial stability,” Goldman Sachs analysts said on Wednesday. Among the changes announced Tuesday during the annual gathering of the National People’s Congress, Beijing will set up a new powerful financial regulator: the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA). VCG/Getty ImagesA super regulatorChina’s financial system has traditionally been jointly overseen by the People’s Bank of China, the CBIRC and the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The new regulator is meant to “better manage risks” in the financial system and strengthen the supervision of “institutions, behaviors, and functions,” the government proposal said. The move comes as risks to the stability of China’s financial system are rising amid a housing market slump and economic slowdown.

☆ China plans to revamp finance, tech oversight
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Lintao Zhang | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China plans to overhaul its financial regulatory system by consolidating aspects of the central bank and securities regulator under a new entity, while doing away with the existing banking regulator. The moves also come as Beijing has increased regulation on parts of the economy that had developed quickly, with little oversight. The latest plan calls for the establishment of a National Financial Regulatory Administration, which replaces the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and expands its role. watch nowThe China Securities Regulatory Commission's investor protection responsibilities are set to shift to the new financial regulator. "China's consolidated financial regulatory body is [a] paradigm shift to ramp up oversight of its vast financial system," said Winston Ma, adjunct professor of law at New York University.

☆ New York AG accuses Celsius ex-CEO of defrauding crypto investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

New York Attorney General Letitia James sued former Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky on Thursday, alleging that Mashinsky defrauded hundreds of thousands of investors at his now-bankrupt crypto exchange. At one point, deposits at the crypto exchange were valued at $20 billion, according to the complaint. But Mashinsky's statements were false, James alleges, and became part of the former Celsius CEO's efforts to hide deep losses on risky crypto-lending investments. Celsius investors were left bereft and so despondent that some considered suicide, CNBC previously reported. Celsius entered bankruptcy proceedings with only $1.75 billion in crypto assets, a far cry from the $4.7 billion it owed users.

☆ SEC Chair Gary Gensler tees up changes to how the stock market operates
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

These wholesalers may send the orders to exchanges, but often match the orders against their own internal order flow. However, Gensler has claimed that pension funds and other institutional investors are not able to interact with that retail order flow. Execution quality disclosure Market participants are required to submit monthly reports indicating how well they are executing client orders. Gensler has said investors today need a better understanding of how well their trading orders are being executed. Gensler's broad agenda The proposals on market structure are part of a broad agenda Gensler has undertaken this year.

NEW YORK, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Wall Street bonuses in 2022 are expected to fall 22% or more from last year's bumper payouts, according to a report from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, as tough economic conditions choked off demand for deals. Across Wall Street, investment-banking fees plunged from their 2021 records as the markets for mergers, acquisitions and initial public offerings dried up. Wall Street firms have set aside 6.5% less for compensation in the first half of 2022 as pretax profits halved to $13.5 billion, DiNapoli said. Wall Street workers remain an important force in New York City, accounting for 16% of its economic activity. The comptroller's annual report on 2022 Wall Street bonuses will be released in March.

☆ Yellen taking steps to enhance Treasury market, boost funds resilience
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury is taking steps to strengthen the resilience of the Treasury debt market and private money market and bond funds, but the U.S. financial system is functioning well despite elevated global volatility, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday. "Treasury is working with financial regulators to advance reforms that improve the Treasury market's ability to absorb shocks and disruptions, rather than to amplify them," Yellen said. MONEY MARKETS, BOND FUNDSHigher market volatility also could expose vulnerabilities in non-bank financial intermediation, Yellen said. She added that Treasury and financial regulators are working to better monitor leverage in private funds and to "develop policies to reduce the first-mover advantage that could lead to investor runs in money market funds and open-end bond funds." Yellen cited stresses in money market funds during the 2008 financial crisis and again in March 2020 as the reason for the Securities and Exchange Commission's new proposed rules to improve resilience and transparency in the $5 trillion money market sector.

☆ Yellen says taking steps to enhance Treasury market, funds resilience
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday the U.S. financial system remains resilient amid global volatility, but the Treasury is taking steps to mitigate potential risks in the Treasury market and private money market and bond funds. While we continue to watch for emerging risks, our system remains resilient and continues to operate well through uncertainties," Yellen said. But Yellen added that recent episodes of stress in the Treasury market pointed to the need to take steps to enhance its resilience. "Treasury is working with financial regulators to advance reforms that improve the Treasury market's ability to absorb shocks and disruptions, rather than to amplify them," Yellen said. Higher market volatility also could expose vulnerabilities in non-bank financial intermediation, Yellen said.

A spokesperson for BNY Mellon declined to comment on the status of its crypto custody project. “BNY Mellon believes digital assets are here to stay, and increasingly becoming part of the mainstream of finance," he added. Offering to hold clients' digital assets appeared the safest way to enter the market. read moreThe SEC guidance departed from that practice. At a conference last week, the SEC's acting chief accountant said that custodied crypto assets present "unique" risks which meet the definition of a liability under U.S. accounting standards.

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