In This Issue:

Dividend Adjustments on the Way; Federal Court Decision Supports Use of “Big-Boy Letters”; FINRA Updates Its Suitability Questions and Answers; FINRA Rule 5123 Excludes Some, But Not All, Options; Commodity Pool Issues; Indices: GFMA’s Framework of Principles; Division of Investment Management Lifts ETF Ban, But Not for Leveraged ETFs; Here Comes 2013; and MoFo Capital Markets Introduces Structured Products Resource Page.

Excerpt from Dividend Adjustments on the Way -

To help shareholders benefit in the event that Congress does not retain the lower rates for dividends in connection with the ongoing “fiscal cliff” negotiations, a variety of companies have increased their fourth quarter dividends in 2012. Some companies have accelerated the payment dates of their planned dividends to ensure that they are paid before the end of the year. Some have increased their planned dividend payments above prior quarterly levels. Other companies may pay a special dividend payment. In some cases, the fourth quarter increase will be offset by a decrease in the subsequent first quarter's dividend. In each case, these dividend payments may trigger the dividend adjustment provisions of structured notes linked to the relevant underlying stocks.