Derivatives

On December 13, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted new rules that will have the effect of requiring central clearing of a broad range of cash transactions and repurchase transactions in U.S. treasury securities (“U.S. Treasuries”).[1]  The new rules will require covered clearing agencies (“CCAs”)[2] to adopt policies and procedures requiring

The SEC has been sued again in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, on the heels of that Court’s recent invalidation of the SEC’s newly-minted corporate buy-back rules. The new legal action asks the Court to invalidate the newly-adopted short sales and securities lending disclosure rules (see our client alert here on the

Following the financial crisis of 2007-2009 and Congressional investigations into the securitization market, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 prohibited securitization participants from engaging in any transaction that would result in a material conflict of interest with investors in the securitization. On November 27, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission

On October 13, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted new Rule 10c-1a (the “Securities Lending Rule”), requiring the reporting of certain securities lending transactions. Certain material terms of securities lending transactions relating to “reportable securities” are required to be reported to a registered national securities association (“RNSA”) by the end of the day on which the loan is agreed or modified. The RNSA is required to make the information – other than that deemed confidential as defined below – public on the morning of the next business day. The amount of the loan is to be made public on the 20th business day following submission of the report. Of note, currently the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) is the only registered RNSA and is expected to accept the securities lending reports once the Securities Lending Rule is effective.

Applies Broadly to A Wide Range of Equities

Compliance Delayed One Year to Permit Fund Systems Updates

On October 13, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted new Rule 13f-2 to require monthly reporting of short sale positions and activity data on new Form SHO by institutional investment managers. The new rules require monthly reporting on new Form SHO of activity related to a broad spectrum of “equity securities.” An investment manager must report on activity and positions where it has investment discretion, subject to thresholds described below. The SEC also amended the CAT NMS Plan to supplement the reporting requirements for covered firms.

Shorter Filing Deadlines and Expanded Disclosure  

New Guidance on “Group” Formation and Cash Settled Derivative Securities

On October 10, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted amendments to the rules governing beneficial ownership reporting under Sections 13(d) and 13(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The adopting release is available here (the “Adopting Release”).[1] These rules require investors that beneficially own more than 5% of a public company’s equity securities to publicly disclose their beneficial ownership and other related information in either a Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G. The SEC’s rule changes:

On July 26, 2023, the CFTC approved a proposal to amend the margin regulations for uncleared swaps (the “Proposed Amendments”).[1] The Proposed Amendments, if finalized, would relieve registered swap dealers and major swap participants (“CFTC Registered Entities”) from the requirement to post and collect margin for uncleared swaps with certain

If adopted, the proposals will likely impact market practices

In a trinity of proposing releases rolled out in less than three months, the SEC has comprehensively proposed to regulate the use of derivatives and short sales by private investors, including private funds, hedge funds and family offices. The proposed new regulations reflect a decision by

The SEC recently proposed to require investment managers to report short sale information on a monthly basis if such activity exceeds certain thresholds (described below), and to require broker dealers to begin to mark “buy to cover” trades under Regulation SHO in addition to marking trading activity as “long,” “short,” and “short exempt.”  The definition