The FRB has published in the Federal Register a comment period extension on a proposed rule to implement the enhanced prudential standards and early remediation requirements established under sections 165 and 166 of the Dodd-Frank Act for foreign banking organizations and foreign nonbank financial companies supervised by the FRB. Click hereto view our original story on the comment period extension. See: 78 FR 13294.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board ("MSRB") and the Municipal Advisory Council of Texas will webcast their March 7, 2013 education and outreach event. The webcast (held in Dallas, Texas) will expand accessibility to the event for all industry professionals who wish to learn about the MSRB's current priorities and its rulemaking efforts for municipal advisors and dealers. The program will also include updates on the MSRB's implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act. View Press Release in full here (links externally to MSRB website).

A new NASDAQ OMX BX rule amendment has been announced by the SEC. Click on the link to view the SEC's notice of the rule change. NASDAQ OMX BX: Effective Immediately - Rule Change Relating to Routing Fees to C2 (See also: Exhibit 5)

The SEC is adopting a rule adjusting for inflation the maximum amount of civil monetary penalties under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act, and certain penalties under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Effective Date: [Date of publication in the Federal Register]. Click here to view rule release in full (links externally to SEC website).

CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition Forestry, and addressed the CFTC's regulation of the swaps and futures markets. According to Chairman Gensler, "the public is benefiting." Chairman Gensler indicated that the CFTC had adopted 80% of its required rules, though he did not discuss how many had come into force. He said, "As it is sometimes the case with human nature, the agency receives many inquiries as compliance deadlines approach." Chairman Gensler did not indicate in his speech that there were any material problems implementing what he