New rules and rule proposals from C2, CBOE, FINRA, ICEEU, NASDAQ, NSCC, NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSEMKT, and OCC. Click on the links to view the SEC's notices of each rule change and proposal. C2: Effective Immediately - Rule Change Relating to System Access, Connectivity, and Testing CBOE: Effective Immediately - Rule Change Relating to System Access, Connectivity, and Testing FINRA: Order Approving Proposed Rule Change to Amend the By-Laws of FINRA Dispute Resolution, Inc. to Clarify That Services Provided by Mediators Should Not Cause Them to Be Classified as Industry Members under the By-Laws

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council ("FFIEC") issued the revised Information Technology ("IT") Examination Booklet on the Supervision of Technology Service Providers ("TSP Booklet") and the updated IT Examination Booklet on Outsourcing Technology Services. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("FRS"), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ("OCC") (collectively, the "Agencies") issued new Administrative Guidelines - Implementation of Interagency Programs for the Supervision of Technology Service

Pursuant to Section 343 of the Dodd-Frank Act, unlimited deposit insurance coverage for non-interest-bearing transaction accounts ("NIBTAs"), including Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts, is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2012. Absent a change in law, beginning on January 1, 2013, the FDIC no longer will provide separate, unlimited deposit insurance coverage for NIBTAs at insured depository institutions ("IDIs"). IDIs are encouraged to take reasonable steps to provide adequate advance notice to NIBTA depositors of the changes in FDIC insurance coverage so that they may consider the impact

SEC Director of the Division of Investment Management, Norm Champ, delivered a speech regarding the challenges facing the annuities business, including those presented by the persistent low interest rate environment and by volatile equity markets here and abroad. Director Champ also discussed (i) the recently published financial literacy study that was mandated by Dodd-Frank (see link below); (ii) the IM's investor advisory committee; (iii) industry communications; (iv) IM division priorities; (v) a recent 403(b) Plan No-Action Letter; and (vi) changes that insurers have made to the terms of

SIFMA submitted the attached comments to the U.S. Trade Representative ("USTR") on promoting U.S.-European Commission ("EC") regulatory compatibility. SIFMA stated that it supports the goals shared by the U.S. Government and the EC to reduce (i) excessive regulatory costs, (ii) unjustified regulatory differences, and (iii) unnecessary red tape. SIFMA urges more work to be done to further ensure the compatibility of U.S. and EC financial reforms "both in substance and extraterritorial application." Lofchie Comment: Another potential avenue to raise the problems of cross-border swaps regulation