IOSCO summarized its 2019 initiatives in the following five priority areas: crypto-assets, artificial intelligence and machine learning, market fragmentation, passive investing and index providers, and retail distribution and digitalization.

In response to a request for comments, SIFMA urged the SEC to modify Form 10-Q and to "modernize" the disclosure framework to mitigate the unnecessary burden on reporting companies while retaining investor protections. SIFMA said that: companies should continue to have flexibility with respect to the issuance and content of earnings releases; the "Supplemental Approach" should not be adopted on the grounds that it would not help achieve the SEC's goal of "reducing inefficiencies and enhancing investor protection"; the SEC's rules relating to the reporting framework should be "harmonized with

The Managed Funds Association (the "MFA") commented on (i) the SEC's proposed interpretation of the standard of conduct for investment advisers and (ii) related letters by the Institutional Limited Partners Association ("ILPA Letter") and the American Investment Council ("AIC Letter"). The MFA's comments are a supplement to its letter from August 7, 2018. The ILPA Letter and the AIC Letter take opposing positions, with the ILPA Letter advocating for the SEC to withdraw its Heitman Capital Management No-Action Letter (the "Heitman Letter"). In the Heitman Letter, SEC staff did not object to the

The European Commission extended the deadline for Brexit from March 29, 2019 to May 22, 2019 on the condition that UK Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed withdrawal agreement is approved by the UK Parliament by March 29, 2019. If the agreement is not approved by that date, the extension will end April 12, 2019.

The Federal Reserve Board ("FRB") provided guidance on the treatment of operating leases for state member banks under Regulation H. According to the Supervision and Regulation Letter, under the current accounting standard on leases, lessees recognize lease assets and lease liabilities as investments on the balance sheets for finance leases, but do not recognize lease assets and lease liabilities as investments on the balance sheets for operating leases. Under the new standard, lessees will recognize lease assets and lease liabilities as investments on balance sheets for virtually all leases