Financial Institution Regulatory

ECB Amends Eligibility Criteria for Unsecured Bank Bonds

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On October 5, 2016, the European Central Bank (“ECB”) stated that it will be making changes to its collateral framework by revising the collateral eligibility criteria and risk control measures in relation to senior unsecured debt instruments issued by credit institutions or investment firms (unsecured bank bonds or UBBs).

Under the current rules, UBBs will, except for these new changes, become ineligible on January 1, 2017. The ECB’s revisions to its collateral framework are aimed at temporarily maintaining the eligibility of UBBs (including the eligibility of statutorily subordinated UBBs that are not also contractually subordinated), beyond January 1, 2017.

Furthermore, UBBs will also be subject to additional risk control measures to remain eligible. The ECB has decided to reduce, as of January 1, 2017, the usage limit for uncovered bank bonds from 5% to 2.5%. The reduction will not apply where:

  • the value of such assets is equal to or less than €50 million (net of any applicable haircut); or
  • such assets are guaranteed (by a public sector entity that has the right to levy taxes) by way of a guarantee that complies with the provisions of Article 114 of the ECB Guideline on the implementation of the Eurosystem monetary policy framework.

The changes are expected to come into effect from January 1, 2017.

FINRA and SEC Announce Tick Size Pilot Program

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On October 3, 2016, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued an Investor Alert announcing a new National Market System (NMS) Plan that will implement a Tick Size Pilot Program (the “Pilot”) that will widen the minimum quoting and trading increment – sometimes called the “tick size” – for some small capitalization stocks. The goal of the Pilot is to study the effect of tick size on liquidity and trading of small capitalization stocks.

The Pilot has been implemented pursuant to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act which, among other things, directed the SEC to conduct a study and report to Congress on how decimalization affected the number of initial public offerings, and the liquidity and trading of securities of smaller capitalization companies.

Under the Pilot, the tick size will be widened from a penny ($0.01) to a nickel ($0.05) for specified securities listed on national securities exchanges (“Pilot Securities”). For some Pilot Securities, only quoting will need to occur in $0.05 increments, while for others, both quoting and trading generally will need to occur in increments of a nickel.

The Pilot will include a specified subset of the exchange-listed stocks of companies that have $3 billion or less in market capitalization, an average daily trading volume of one million shares or less and a volume-weighted average price of at least $2.00 for every trading day. There will be a control group of approximately 1,400 securities and three test groups, each with approximately 400 securities selected by a stratified sampling.

The Plot will run for a two-year period that will commence on October 3, 2016.

The data collected from the Pilot will be used by the SEC, national securities exchanges and FINRA to assess whether wider tick sizes enhance the market quality of these stocks for the benefit of issuers and investors—such as less volatility and increased liquidity.

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CFTC Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Two Mexican Authorities to Enhance Supervision of Cross-Border Regulated Entities

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On September 6, 2016, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced that it “signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) and the Banco de México (BDM) regarding cooperation and the exchange of information in the supervision and oversight of certain regulated entities that operate on a cross-border basis in the United States and in Mexico.” Press release.

CFTC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Whistleblower Rule Amendments

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On September 1, 2016, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) announced that it is “requesting public comment on proposed amendments to the Whistleblower Rules found in Part 165 of the CFTC’s regulations.” The amendments would, among other things, “enhance the process for reviewing whistleblower claims and make related changes to clarify staff authority to administer the whistleblower program.” Comments are due on or before September 29, 2016. Press release.

Agencies Publish Study on Banking Activities and Investments under Dodd-Frank

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On September 8, 2016, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) released a report detailing activities and investments that banking entities may engage in under state and federal law.

Pursuant to section 620 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank), which requires the trio of federal banking agencies to conduct the study and report their findings to Congress, the report considers financial, operational, managerial and reputational risks associated with the permissible activities or investments and how banking entities work to mitigate those risks.

Each agency also offers specific recommendations regarding whether an activity or investment could harm the overall safety and soundness of the banking entity or broader financial system and any additional restrictions necessary to curb any such potential risks. Press release. Report.

European Commission Implementing Regulation Establishing a List of Critical Benchmarks Used in Financial Markets under Benchmarks Regulation in OJ

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On August 12, 2016, the European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1368 establishing a list of critical benchmarks used in financial markets pursuant to the Regulation on indices used as benchmarks in financial instruments and financial contracts or to measure the performance of investment funds (2016/1011/EU) (Benchmarks Regulation), was published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ).

The Regulation highlights that benchmarks play an important role in the determination of the price of many financial instruments and financial contracts and of the measurement of performance for many investment funds. In order to fulfill their economic role, benchmarks need to be representative of the underlying market or economic reality they reflect. Should a benchmark no longer be representative of an underlying market, such as interbank offered rates, there is a risk of negative effects on, inter alia, market integrity, the financing of households (loans and mortgages) and businesses in the Union.

The Implementing Regulation, which specifies the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (EURIBOR) as a critical benchmark, enters into force on the day following its publication in the OJ (that is, August 13, 2016). It will apply from January 1, 2018.

European Commission Adopts Implementing Regulation on Information for Calculation of Technical Provisions and Basic Own Funds for Q3 2016 Reporting under Solvency II

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On August 8, 2016, the European Commission adopted an Implementing Regulation laying down information for the calculation of technical provisions and basic own funds for reporting with reference dates from June 30 until September 29, 2016 (that is, the third quarter of 2016) in accordance with the Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC).

In the Regulation, technical information on relevant risk-free interest rate term structures, fundamental spreads for the calculation of the matching adjustment and volatility adjustments are formulated for every reference date, in order to guarantee uniform conditions for the calculation of technical provisions and basic own funds by insurance and reinsurance undertakings for the purposes of Solvency II.

The technical information to be used by insurance and reinsurance undertakings when calculating technical provisions and basic own funds for reporting with reference dates from June 30 until September 29, 2016 are detailed in the annexes to the Implementing Regulation, as follows:

  • Annex 1: the relevant risk-free rate term structures
  • Annex 2: the fundamental spreads for the calculation of the matching adjustment
  • Annex 3: the volatility adjustments for each relevant national market

The Regulation will enter into force the day after it has been published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ). It will apply from June 30, 2016.

SEC Approves IEX Proposal to Launch National Exchange, Issues Interpretation on Automated Securities Prices

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On June 17, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) approved the application of Investors’ Exchange LLC (“IEX”) to register as a national securities exchange. Prior to transitioning its operation to a national securities exchange, IEX must satisfy certain standard conditions specified in the SEC’s order, such as “participating in a variety of national market system plans and joining the Intermarket Surveillance Group.”

Additionally, the SEC issued an updated interpretation to the Order Protection Rule under Regulation NMS. The SEC’s updated interpretation determined that a small delay or “speed bump” when accessing automated securities prices will not “prevent investors from accessing stock prices in a fair and efficient manner consistent with the goals of the Order Protection Rule.” Release.

SEC Proposes Rules to Modernize Property Disclosures for Mining Registrants

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On June 16, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it had proposed rules to update the disclosure requirements for mining properties. The proposed revisions are meant to align disclosure requirements with “current industry and global regulatory practices and standards.” The proposed rules would, among other updates, revise Regulation S-K to include in a new subpart the SEC’s mining property disclosure requirements. The proposed rules would also rescind Industry Guide 7. Release.

Commission Adopts Proposal to Incorporate ESAs into EEA Agreement

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On June 2, 2016, the European Commission published a press release announcing that it had adopted a proposal for a Council decision on the position to be taken by the EU on the incorporation of the Regulations on the European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs), and some of the related Regulations and Directives, into the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA).

The acts to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement include the ESAs Regulations (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA Regulations), the European Systemic Risk Board Regulation, the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive and related Delegated Acts, the Short Selling Regulation and related delegated acts, the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (‘EMIR’) and the Credit Ratings Agency Regulations.

This is an important step towards the extension of the European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS) to the EEA EFTA countries: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The Commission explained that incorporating these acts into the EEA Agreement would ensure strong and co-ordinated financial supervision throughout the EEA.