ICE Futures Europe has announced that this Monday, October 1, 2012, the new futures and options contracts ("the Swap Futures Contracts") based on swaps will be launched. The specific products are as follows: 285 oil swap futures; 24 options on oil swap futures; 46 NGL swap futures; 14 freight swap futures; 1 liquefied natural gas swap future; and 1 iron ore swap future. Lofchie Comment: In his recent speech criticizing the CFTC's Dodd-Frank rulemaking, CFTC Commissioner O'Malia specifically pointed to the ICE's making available for trading "futures" as substitutes for "swaps" as an example of

As of Monday, October 1, 2012, BMAmp;FBOVESPA will begin trading in the SP 500 futures contract settled in cash to the price of the SP 500 Index futures contract, listed and traded on CME.

The SEC announced the panelists who will participate in the October 2 market technology roundtable that will discuss the relationship between the operational stability and integrity of the securities markets and the ways that market participants design, implement, and manage complex and interconnected trading technologies. See below for the agenda and panelists. 10 a.m. — Opening Statements 10:15 a.m. — Panel 1: Preventing Errors through Robust System Design, Deployment, and Operation Sudhanshu Arya, Managing Director, ITG Chris Isaacson, Chief Operating Officer, BATS Exchange Dave Lauer

The SEC Division of Corporation Finance provided no-action relief to First Citizens Bancshares, Inc. pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 12h-3(b)(1)(i). The Division stated that it will not object in the case that First Citizens Bancshares, Inc. stops filing periodic and current reports under the Exchange Act under two circumstances. Cross-Reference(s): Exchange Act Rule 12h-3 (Suspension of Duty to File Reports Under Section 15(d)). View notice in full here (links externally to SEC website).

The SEC issued a staff report intended to help broker-dealers safeguard confidential information from insider trading and other forms of misuse. The report -- issued by their Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) -- describes strengths and weaknesses identified in examinations into how broker-dealers keep material nonpublic information from being misused. Lofchie Comment: All firms that receive inside information must review this report carefully. It contains a very full discussion of the various ways that broker-dealers may receive inside information and the steps that they