FINRA provided the attached schedule to assist member firms and reduce the number of Reg T and Exchange Act Rule 15c3-3 extensions denied around holidays. Click here to view notice in full (links externally to FINRA website).

NFA has ordered FX Direct Dealer, LLC ("FXDD") - a New York-based FCM, retail forex dealer and forex dealer member of NFA - to either post a bond or place funds in an escrow account to ensure that the firm can meet its obligations under any restitution order that may result from a related NFA disciplinary action. The customer restitution is estimated to be $3.3 million. NFA issued a Complaint against earlier this year charging that FXDD engaged in price slippage practices that benefited FXDD to the detriment of customers. Click here to view Press Release in full (links externally to NFA

The CFTC's Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) issued a no-action letter to mortgage real estate investment trusts (mREITs). The letter states that, although mREITs are within the definition of a commodity pool, the DSIO will not recommend that the CFTC take enforcement action against the operators of mREITs for failure to register as CPOs, provided that the mREIT satisfies certain criteria as described below: Limits the initial margin and premiums required to establish its commodity interest positions to no more than 5 percent of the fair market value of the mREIT's

Participants discussed with the CFTC Staff LEI-related issues, blocking statutes, data privacy laws, and no-action relief. Meeting participants are listed in the table below. WHEN: 12/4/2012 3:00 PM Rulemaking(s): General CFTC Staff: Gary Gensler Susan Nathan Eric Juzenas Gary Barnett Rick Shilts Jackie Mesa Carlene Kim Jeff Burns Harold Hardman Sebastian Pujol Schott Visitor(s): Nick O'Neill, Clifford Chance Oda Wypior, JP Morgan Ruth Laslo, UBS Joe Aaker, Barclays John DeFren, Citigroup Jason Lane, RBS Catherine Napolitano, Bank of America Anna Grainger, Morgan Stanley (by phone)

FINRA has filed with the SEC the attached proposed rule change to amendFINRA Rule 6440 (Trading and Quotation Halt in OTC Equity Securities) with respect to halts by foreign regulatory authorities. The rule change would provide that FINRA may: (1) initiate a trading and quotation halt in an OTC Equity Security upon notice of a foreign regulatory halt for news pending, including notice from a reliable third-party source;(2) continue to halt trading and quoting in such OTC Equity Security until notice from the appropriate foreign regulatory authority is received that it has or intends to resume