The CFTC issued a notice soliciting comments on the extension of the collection of information regarding exemptions from speculative limits. According to the notice, CEA Section 4a(a) allows the CFTC to set speculative limits on any commodity for future delivery in order to prevent excessive speculation. Certain sections of the CEA and related CFTC Rules allow exemptions from the speculative limits for persons using the market for hedging and, under certain circumstances, for CPOs and similar traders. This information collection contains the recordkeeping and reporting requirements needed to

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") issued a revised booklet titled "Trade Finance and Services." The booklet is part of the Comptroller's Handbook. The booklet, which replaces the "Trade Finance" and "Bankers' Acceptances" booklets that were issued in November 1998 and September 1999, respectively, includes (i) updated examination procedures concerning trade finance and services activities; (ii) a description of the types of products that national banks and federal savings associations may offer in their trade finance and services business lines; and (iii) information on the

The SEC and FINRA issued a report titled "The National Senior Investor Initiative." The report is intended to help broker-dealers assess, craft and refine their policies for investors who are nearing or entering into retirement. The report includes observations and practices identified in the agencies' examinations of forty-four broker-dealers. The examinations focused on how firms conduct business with senior investors, particularly in the following areas: the types of securities purchased by senior investors; the suitability of recommended investments; the training of brokerage firm

The U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit held a hearing titled "Examining Regulatory Burdens on Non-Depository Financial Institutions." The hearing examined the "rising compliance costs" to consumers, non-depository financial institutions and the U.S. economy that were brought about by Dodd-Frank. Specifically, witnesses testified as to whether products or services were no longer being offered to consumers because of agency actions and the impact that not having access to specific products or services might have on consumers. Witnesses at the

The U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held a budget hearing on the SEC. The sole witness was SEC Chair Mary Jo White. Chair White testified about equity market fragmentation, virtual currencies, cross-border swaps regulation and the Financial Stability Oversight Council, among other things. Click here to view a hearing summary prepared by Delta Strategy Group. See: Chair White's Written Testimony; House Subcommittee Hearing Information.