Risk.net August 23, 2011 The CFTC recently released final rules governing swaps-data repositories. The CFTC included efforts to protect foreign regulators from liability that could arise from data leaks, but European regulators are concerned that they will not be able avoid liability=y. The rules attempt to resolve a clause in the Dodd-Frank Act that would make them liable for any costs that arise after data has been requested from a US-registered repository, including lawsuits triggered by data leaks. Unfortunately, the CFTC's fix won't do the trick, European regulators say. The root of the

CFTC Press Release 6095-11 August 22, 2011 The CFTC announced the appointment of Gary Barnett to serve as the agency's Director of the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight. The new division is part of the agency's restructuring to fulfill its expanded responsibilities under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Barnett will play a key role in the CFTC's efforts to regulate the swaps market under the law. Mr. Barnett, a former partner at Cadwalader, currently heads the U.S. Derivatives and Structured Finance Practice Group at Linklaters LLP in New York, NY

Financial Times August 21, 2011 A US senator's public release of confidential data on energy traders has sparked debate over how much should be disclosed about commodity markets, where positions are usually a closely guarded secret. Last week Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, leaked and later posted on his website lists of trading positions in oil, natural gas and other commodity markets as part of a campaign to force a clampdown on commodity speculation. While barred from publicly naming traders, the CFTC is required to provide confidential information to Congress. People familiar with

Press Release 6094-11 Agenda August 19, 2011 The CFTC's Office of Chief Economist will host a high-level research conference on August 25-26, 2011, to discuss key issues affecting commodity markets. The first day of the conference will feature presentations of academic papers grouped into three distinct subject areas: commodity index trading, market sentiment, and hedging and arbitrage. The second day will consist of two academic panels. The first panel, organized jointly with the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy, will focus on issues related to the

August 18, 2011 A small U.S. derivatives exchange on Thursday rolled out contracts that allow traders to take bearish positions on European stocks affected by new short-selling restrictions, highlighting the tough task regulators can face in trying to limit market activity. OneChicago LLC developed the contracts in the week since the tougher short-selling rules were introduced in an effort to limit market declines, with products linked to exchange-traded funds composed of stocks listed in France, Spain, Italy and Belgium. "This is another way to get exposure to those markets without touching