As February already begins to wind down and all of us are wondering what we might have missed so far this year, here is a round-up of additional regulatory activities in financial services...more
Summary - The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly nearing a settlement with a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) over its failure to preserve certain credit-ratings...more
On February 16, 2021, the SEC filed a litigated civil complaint in the Southern District of New York against Morningstar Credit Ratings LLC, a former Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”) alleging...more
Introduction - As market participants prepare for the launch of the latest version of the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (“TALF”) program (“TALF 2.0”), two new developments provide greater clarity as to how the...more
On May 4, 2020, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (the “Federal Reserve”) released Frequently Asked Questions (the “FAQs”) regarding the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility (“PMCCF”) program, providing greater detail...more
On December 18, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) published a report on the recognized statistical rating organizations and another report about such organizations’ examinations....more
Below is a summary of recent investment management developments that affect registered investment companies, private equity funds, hedge funds, investment advisers, and others in the investment management industry. ...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently adopted amendments (Amendments) to remove references to credit ratings in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act), the primary rule...more
Non-Enforcement - SEC Decides Against Mounting an Appeal in Koch Ruling - The July 2015 ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court in Koch v. SEC will apparently not be challenged by the SEC. The Court ruled in that...more
A continuing focus of SEC enforcement is compliance by entities with their disclosed procedures. The Commission’s latest action in this regard resulted in the payment of $6 million by a Credit Rating Agency that not only...more
The SEC recently adopted rule amendments removing credit rating references in Rule 2a-7 and Form N-MFP. Issuer diversification provisions were also amended to eliminate a current exclusion for securities subject to a...more
Regulatory Developments - NYDFS Announces Approval of First BitLicense Application from a Virtual Currency Firm: The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) announced Sept. 22 that it has approved...more
Council of EU Presidency Compromise Proposal on Benchmark Regulation - On September 10, the Presidency of the Council of the EU published its first compromise proposal (dated September 9, 2014) relating to the European...more
On August 27, 2014, the SEC adopted a number of new rules and amendments designed to improve the quality of credit ratings and increase credit rating agency accountability in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act. The...more
The SEC has adopted credit rating agency rules for Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSROs), which include requirements relating to NRSROs’ internal controls. The Dodd-Frank Act requires NRSROs to...more
On August 27, 2014 the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) approved final rules relating to asset-backed securities (“ABS”) disclosure and registration (the “Final Rules”). The Final Rules are contained in a final...more
I am congenitally pessimistic and some have, shockingly, called me cynical. Early last week, while we waited for Reg AB, I would have bet more than a dollar that there would have been a number of things in this final Rule...more
The SEC adopted new rules and rule amendments (collectively, the “Final Rules”) that impose a range of additional requirements on credit rating agencies registered as nationally recognized statistical rating organizations...more
The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) released new Regulation AB II Rules (the “Reg AB Rules”) and regulations relating to credit rating agencies (“the NRSRO Rules”) on August 27, 2014. The Reg AB Rules1 revise...more
At an open meeting this morning, the SEC adopted, by a vote of three to two, rule amendments and new rules to implement provisions of Dodd-Frank applicable to credit rating agencies registered as nationally recognized...more
As I write this, we are awaiting SEC’s vote scheduled for tomorrow, August 27, on final Regulation AB2 Rule and the NRSRO Rules. I say “man the barricades or the bleachers” because I’m not sure whether there is much to do...more
Commissioner Gallagher recently filed this opinion dissenting in part with respect to In the Matter of John W. Lawton. The matter arose out of the alleged misconduct of respondent John W. Lawton, who purportedly committed...more
On December 27, 2013, the SEC adopted final amendments (“Final Amendments”) to remove certain references to ratings by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) (e.g., Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s...more
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently adopted final amendments to certain rules and forms under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act) and the Securities Act of 1933 (1933 Act) to implement a...more
The SEC issued Release No. 34-71194 (the “Adopting Release”) adopting amendments under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) that remove references to credit ratings by ratings agencies (including...more