New SRO rules and rule proposals have been announced by the SEC. Click on the links to view the SEC's notices of each rule change and proposal. C2: Effective Immediately - Rule Change Related to Pre-Opening Information CBOE: Effective Immediately - Rule Change Related to Pre-Opening Information

Th e SEC approved amendments to FINRA Rule 8210. The amendments are intended to: clarify the scope of FINRA's authority under Rule 8210 to inspect and copy the books, records and accounts of member firms, associated persons and persons subject to FINRA's jurisdiction; specify the method of service for certain unregistered persons under the rule; and authorize service of requests under the rule on attorneys who are representing firms, associated persons or persons subject to FINRA's jurisdiction. Effective Date: February 25, 2013. Click hereto view regulatory news and text of amended rule

The SEC announced the agenda for a meeting of its Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies which is being held this Friday, February 1. The SEC will consider the following: Recommendations as to trading spreads on smaller exchange-listed companies (in particular, whether the interval between ticks should be increased to allow more dealer profit with the aim of encouraging market-making in such companies), Creation of a separate U.S. equity market limited to sophisticated investors for small and emerging companies, and Disclosure rules for smaller reporting companies. Members of the

The MSRB held its quarterly meeting (January 23-25), in which it approved several initiatives, including: the display of municipal market benchmarks on its transparency website, and rules to enhance investor and issuer protection in the municipal securities market. Click here to view notice in full (links externally to MSRB website).

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling has released a statement regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's ruling invalidating President Obama's recess appointments of three members of the National Labor Relations Board. In his statement, Chairman Hensarling criticized the similar recess appointment of Richard Cordray as head of the CFPB. The gist of the statement as applied to the CFPB reads as follows: "As it is currently structured, the CFPB is the most powerful and least accountable agency in all of Washington. The Dodd-Frank Act places the CFPB under