CFTC Approves SEF Rules and Swaps Block Rule

On Thursday the CFTC approved the Swaps Block Rule, the Made Available to Trade Rule, the SEF rules, and the Interpretive Guidance and Policy Statement on Disruptive Practices.The Swaps Block Rule and the Made Available to trade rule were passed 3-2, the SEF rules were passed 4-1 and the Interpretive...

CFTC Approves Trade Execution Rules

At 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, the CFTC held an open meeting to consider trade execution rules and interpretive guidance regarding anti-disruptive trading practices authority. The final rules being that were voted on included: Procedures to Establish Appropriate Minimum Block Sizes for Large Notional...

CFTC to Vote on Dodd-Frank SEF Rules

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will vote next week on the Swap Execution Facilities (SEF) rules overseeing derivatives under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. On May 9th, the CFTC issued a notice saying a formal vote will take place on May 16th to finalize the SEF rules that were...

Bank-Backed Initiative Eases SEF Migration

A newly created industry initiative backed by banks, has been launched with the hope  to standardize administrative messages on swap execution facilities (SEFs). The initiative also has a goal of automating exchanges between dealers and clients across multiple swaps platforms. The action, known as the...

LCH.Clearnet Cites ‘Major’ Tech Failure in December

LCH.Clearnet Ltd., one of the world’s largest interest-rate swap clearinghouse, cited a “major” information technology failure on December 31st of last year. The IT failure affected payment processing in the U.K. and interrupted contingency plans, Bloomberg and the Bank of England...

CFTC Announces Mandatory Clearing of Swaps

Today, the CFTC announced today that swap dealers, major swap participants, and private funds active in the swaps market, are required to begin clearing certain index credit default swaps (CDS) and interest rate swaps that they entered into on, or after March 11, 2013. The CFTC stated in a press release,...

Sommers Criticizes CFTC’s Approach to Dodd-Frank Rule Implementation

Outgoing CFTC commissioner Jill Sommers has publicly expressed frustration at the CFTC’s imposed provisions on derivatives market participants, as reported in an exclusive interview with Energy Risk. Sommers is responding to the complex Dodd-Frank stipulations demanded of derivatives market...

CFTC’s Bart Chilton Warns of ‘Swapification’ of Futures Market

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) member Bart Chilton has expressed worry over the “swapification” of the futures market, perhaps giving a hint of the CFTC’s broader position. CFTC’s Bart Chilton Warns of ‘Swapification’ of Futures MarketCFTC...

CFTC’s Gensler Touts ‘Historic’ Changes with Futurization of Swaps

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) head Gary Gensler touted the benefits of “futurization” in a speech delivered at the CFTC today. Chairman Gensler used his address to note the CFTC’s shift to implementation, away from broader rule-making, and also to hint at the upcoming...

CFTC on Futures as the Future of Swaps

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will publicly discuss the “futurization” of the swaps market on January 31. The “futurization of swaps” is quickly shaping up to be a hot-button issue in early 2013. The CFTC’s discussion will purportedly revolve around the following:general...