The CFTC has announced that it will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, October 30, 2013, at 9:30 a.m. regarding (i) enhancing protections, (ii) the protection of the collateral of counterparties to uncleared swaps, (iii) ownership and control ("OCR") reports and forms, and (iv) other related matters.For details, see below. WHAT: Enhancing Protections Afforded Customers and Customer Funds Held by Futures Commission Merchants and Derivatives Clearing Organizations Protection of Collateral of Counterparties to Uncleared Swaps; Treatment of Securities in a Portfolio Margining Account in a

The SEC voted unanimously to propose rules under the JOBS Act to permit companies to offer and sell securities through crowdfunding. The JOBS Act established a foundation for the regulatory structure for crowdfunding. The proposed rules would, among other things, permit individuals to invest subject to certain thresholds, limit the amount of crowdfunded money a company can raise, require companies to disclose certain information about their offers, and create a regulatory framework for the intermediaries that would facilitate the crowdfunding transactions. Among the proposed rules: A company

SIFMA submitted comments to the SEC on proposals by NYSE Arca, Inc. and NYSE MKT, LLC (the "Exchanges") to establish fixed dates on which rate changes can be applied to the Exchanges' respective Options Regulatory Fees ("ORF"). In its comments, SIFMA supported these changes and urged the SEC to approve the proposals. Furthermore, SIFMA said that the SEC should require the same schedules and notice requirements to be adopted by all U.S. options exchanges. See: SIFMA Comment Letter; SIFMA Press Release.

The SEC sanctioned investment advisory firms Modern Portfolio Management Inc., Equitas Capital Advisers LLC and Equitas Partners LLC for repeatedly ignoring problems with their compliance programs. The enforcement actions arose from the SEC Compliance Program Initiative, which targets firms previously warned by SEC examiners about compliance deficiencies and violations of Investment Advisers Act Rule 206(4)-7 ("Compliance Procedures and Practices"). Many of the compliance failures involved either significant mis-statements to clients or direct injury to clients; e.g., over-charging. See: SEC

The National Futures Association's ("NFA") recent amendments to Section 10 ("Late Financial Transactions") and Section 13 ("Forex Dealer Daily Reports") of the NFA Financial Requirements Rules, as well as NFA Compliance Rule 2-48 ("Forex Member Dealer Daily Trade Data Reports"), will be effective on December 2, 2013. See: NFA Notice I-13-32. Related news: NFA Issues Proposed Amendments to Increase Late Reporting Fines (August 22, 2013).