Americas ETP News
If your looking for specific news, using the search function will narrow down the results
US court scraps CFTC position limits rule
September 29, 2012--A US court has rejected a proposal by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission that aimed to limit speculation in commodity markets.
The “position limits” rule was to take effect in two weeks. It would have capped holdings of futures and options for 28 commodities and their derivatives, from crude oil to corn and cocoa, expanding existing limits to contracts for any delivery month.
read more
Source: FT.com
Statement of Chairman Gary Gensler on Position Limits
September 28, 2012--As part of the Dodd-Frank Act, Congress directed the Commission to impose limits on speculative positions in physical commodity futures and options contracts and economically equivalent swaps.
The Rule addresses Congress’ concern that that no single trader is permitted to obtain too large a share of the market, and that derivatives markets remain fair and competitive. I believe it is critically important that these position limits be established as Congress required. I am disappointed by today’s ruling, and we are considering ways to proceed.”
Source: CFTC.gov
SEC Announces Panelists for Market Technology Roundtable on October 2
September 28, 2012--The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced the panelists who will participate in the agency's October 2 market technology roundtable that will discuss the relationship between the operational stability and integrity of the securities markets and the ways that market participants design, implement, and manage complex and interconnected trading technologies.
The morning portion of the event will focus on the prevention of errors, including discussion about current best practices and the practical constraints for creating, deploying, and operating systems used to automatically generate and route orders, match trades, confirm transactions, and disseminate data. The afternoon panel discussion will focus on error response, with experts discussing how the market might employ independent filters, objective tests, and other real-time processes or crisis-management procedures to detect, limit, and stop erroneous market activities when they occur.
read more
Source: SEC.gov
CFTC.gov Commitments of Traders Reports Update
September 28, 2012--The current reports for the week of September 25, 2012 are now available.
view updates
Source: CFTC.gov
SEC Issues Report on Brokerage Firms' Handling of Confidential Information
September 27, 2012--The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued a staff report intended to help broker-dealers safeguard confidential information from misuse, such as insider trading.
The report by the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) describes strengths and weaknesses identified in examinations into how broker-dealers keep material nonpublic information from being misused.
This report should help broker-dealers assess the effectiveness of their controls over sensitive information,” said OCIE Director Carlo di Florio. “The report illustrates the types of conflicts of interest that may arise between a broker-dealer’s obligations to clients that provide confidential information for business purposes and the potential misuse of such information for insider trading or other improper ends. It also describes various methods that broker-dealers use to identify and effectively manage such conflicts, including information barriers that limit the flow of sensitive information.”
read more
Source: SEC.gov
SEC reviewing technology at brokerages following glitches
SEC examiners asking brokerages questions on technology
First leg of SEC exam process started in June
Second leg of exam began after Knight glitch in August
Results will help SEC in policymaking on automated trading
September 27, 2012--The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a broad review into technology issues at major brokerage firms, specifically looking at whether they have proper controls to address errors, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The SEC's review was prompted by a string of recent events, including a software glitch at Knight Capital which led to a $440 million trading loss, nearly bankrupted the firm and sent the market-maker scrambling for investors.
read more
Source: Reuters
FINRA Issues New Investor Alert: When Trading Stops: What You Need to Know About Halts, Suspensions and Other Interruptions
September 27, 2012--The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today issued a new Investor Alert called When Trading Stops: What You Need to Know About Halts, Suspensions and Other Interruptions.
While trading in most stocks takes place without interruption, FINRA's new Alert explains how, when and why interruptions in trading occur, and discusses both what brokers are required to do and what investors should do in these situations.
When a company is listed on a U.S. stock exchange, it agrees to notify the listing exchange about any corporate developments that could affect trading activity in its stock—before announcing them to the public. Stock exchanges have the authority to halt trading based on their evaluation of a given announcement. These regulatory halts tend to be relatively short and are designed to allow prompt and full dissemination of the news to the marketplace at large. While the halt is in effect, brokers are prohibited from publishing quotations or indications of interest, or trading the stock.
view the When Trading Stops: What You Need to Know About Halts, Suspensions and Other Interruptions alert
Source: FINRA
S&P Dow Jones Indices Announces Changes To The S&P/TSX Canadian Indices
A Deletion From The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index
September 27, 2012--S&P Canadian Index Services will make the following changes in the S&P/TSX Canadian Indices:
Luna Gold Corp. (TSXVN:LGC) will be removed from the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index after the close of trading on Friday, September 28, 2012.
The company will graduate to trade on TSX under the same ticker symbol.
Source: Standard & Poor's
BM&FBOVESPA begins trading in the S&P 500 Futures Contract
This is the first derivative of a U.S. stock index traded on the Brazilian Exchange, easing local investors access to a global market product
September 26, 2012--On Monday, October 01, BM&FBOVESPA will begin trading in the S&P 500 futures contract settled in cash to the price of the S&P 500 Index futures contract, listed and traded on CME, a CME Group exchange.
This is the first futures contract traded on the Brazilian Exchange to reference a U.S. stock index.
The underlying asset selected by BM&FBOVESPA for this new contract, the Standard and Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500), is composed of 500 stocks in U.S. companies selected among other things by their market capitalization, liquidity and the significance of the sector in which they operate. This is the index that is most used for accompanying the U.S. financial market and is considered a thermometer for that country's economy.
As of October 01, the S&P 500 futures contract will have three market makers to guarantee liquidity in trading the new contract. BTG, GETCO and VIRTU were the winners in the selection process held by the Exchange and have been chosen to act as Market Makers for one year.
read more
Source:BM&FBOVESPA
CFTC's Division of Clearing and Risk Issues Extension of Time for Compliance from Certain Pre-Trade Screening Requirements
September 26, 2012--The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR) today announced an extension of time for compliance in order to provide additional time for market participants to coordinate on the communication of limits for give-ups and bunched orders for futures and swaps.
This extension of time is intended to provide sufficient time to transition to fully compliant pre-trade screening no later than June 1, 2013.
Additionally, DCR also announced the issuance of an extension of time for compliance from pre-trade screening requirements for those transactions executed on DCMs that do not have a system permitting FCMs to set pre-execution limits, until the earlier of the date on which the DCM implements such a system, or June 1, 2013.
Source: CFTC.gov
