e9-12020

[Federal Register: May 22, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 98)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 23962-23964]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr22my09-11]

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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

17 CFR Parts 1 and 30

RIN 3038-AC79

Investment of Customer Funds and Funds Held in an Account for

Foreign Futures and Foreign Options Transactions

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; request for public

comment.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission) is

seeking public comment on possible changes to its regulations regarding

the investment of customer funds segregated pursuant to Section 4d of

the Commodity Exchange Act (customer segregated funds) and funds held

in an account subject to Commission Regulation 30.7 (30.7 funds).

Commission Regulation 1.25 provides that a derivatives clearing

organization (DCO) or a futures commission merchant (FCM) holding

customer segregated funds may invest those funds in certain permitted

investments subject to specified requirements that are designed to

minimize exposure to credit, liquidity, and market risks. The

Commission is considering significantly revising the scope and

character of these permitted investments and is seeking public comment

before issuing proposed rule amendments. Additionally, in conjunction

with its consideration of possible amendments to Regulation 1.25, the

Commission is considering applying the investment requirements of

Regulation 1.25, including any prospective amendments, to investments

of 30.7 funds. The Commission is seeking public comment on this action

before issuing proposed rule amendments.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 21, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.regulations.gov/http://frwebgate.access.gpo/cgi-bin/leaving http://www.regulations.gov/

http://frwebgate.access.gpo/cgi-bin/leaving. Follow the instructions

for submitting comments.

E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``Advance Notice of

Proposed Rulemaking for Regulations 1.25 and 30.7'' in the subject line

of the message.

Fax: 202-418-5521.

Mail: Send to David A. Stawick, Secretary, Commodity

Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street,

NW., Washington, DC 20581.

Courier: Same as mail above.

All comments received will be posted without change to http://

www.CFTC.gov/. Reference should be made to ``Advance Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking for Regulations 1.25 and 30.7.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah E. Josephson, Special Counsel,

202-418-5684, [email protected], or Phyllis P. Dietz, Associate

Director, 202-418-5449, [email protected], Division of Clearing and

Intermediary Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three

Lafayette Centre, 1151 21st Street, NW., Washington, DC 20581.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

A. Regulation 1.25

Under Section 4d(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act (Act),\1\ the

[[Page 23963]]

investment of customer segregated funds is limited to obligations of

the United States and obligations fully guaranteed as to principal and

interest by the United States (U.S. government securities), and general

obligations of any State or of any political subdivision thereof

(municipal securities). Pursuant to authority under section 4(c) of the

Act,\2\ the Commission substantially expanded the list of permitted

investments by amending Commission Regulation 1.25 in December 2000 to

permit investments in general obligations issued by any enterprise

sponsored by the United States (government sponsored enterprise

securities), bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, corporate

notes, general obligations of a sovereign nation, and interests in

money market mutual funds.\3\ In connection with that expansion, the

Commission included several provisions intended to control exposure to

credit, liquidity, and market risks associated with the additional

investments, e.g., requirements that the investments satisfy specified

rating standards and concentration limits, and be readily marketable

and subject to prompt liquidation.\4\

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\1\ 7 U.S.C. 6d(a)(2).

\2\ 7 U.S.C. 6(c).

\3\ 17 CFR 1.25. See 65 FR 77993 (Dec. 13, 2000) (publishing

final rules); and 65 FR 82270 (Dec. 28, 2000) (making technical

corrections and accelerating effective date of final rules from

February 12, 2001 to December 28, 2000).

\4\ Id.

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The Commission further modified Regulation 1.25 in 2004 and 2005.

In February 2004, the Commission adopted amendments regarding

repurchase agreements with customer-deposited securities and time-to-

maturity requirements for securities deposited in connection with

certain collateral management programs of DCOs.\5\ In May 2005, the

Commission adopted amendments related to standards for investing in

instruments with embedded derivatives, requirements for adjustable rate

securities, concentration limits on reverse repurchase agreements,

transactions by FCMs that are also registered as securities brokers or

dealers (in-house transactions), rating standards and registration

requirements for money market mutual funds, an auditability standard

for investment records, and certain technical changes.\6\

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\5\ 69 FR 6140 (Feb. 10, 2004).

\6\ 70 FR 28190 (May 17, 2005).

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The Commission has been, and continues to be, mindful that customer

segregated funds must be invested in a manner that minimizes their

exposure to credit, liquidity, and market risks both to preserve their

availability to customers upon demand and to enable these assets to be

quickly converted to cash at a predictable value to minimize systemic

risk. Toward these ends, Regulation 1.25 establishes a general

prudential standard by requiring that all permitted investments be

``consistent with the objectives of preserving principal and

maintaining liquidity.'' \7\

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\7\ 17 CFR 1.25(b).

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In 2007, the Commission's Division of Clearing and Intermediary

Oversight (Division) launched a review of the nature and extent of

investments of customer segregated funds and 30.7 funds in order to

obtain an up-to-date understanding of investment strategies and

practices and to assess whether any changes to the regulations would be

appropriate. As part of this review, all Commission-registered DCOs and

FCMs carrying customer accounts provided responses to a series of

questions. As the Division was conducting follow-up interviews with

respondents, the market events of September 2008 occurred and changed

the financial landscape such that the data previously gathered no

longer reflected current market conditions. Recent events in the

economy have underscored the importance of conducting periodic

reassessments, and through this advance notice of proposed rulemaking

the Commission is refocusing its review of permitted investments for

customer segregated funds and 30.7 funds.

The Commission believes that DCOs and FCMs have managed customer

segregated funds and 30.7 funds responsibly during this difficult

economic time. Nonetheless, the market events of the past year, notably

the failures of certain government sponsored enterprises, difficulties

encountered by certain money market mutual funds in honoring redemption

requests, illiquidity of certain adjustable rate securities, and

turmoil in the credit ratings industry, have challenged many of the

fundamental assumptions regarding investments. As a result, the

Commission believes it is an especially appropriate time to review

permitted investments for customer segregated funds and 30.7 funds.

B. Regulation 30.7

Regulation 30.7 \8\ governs an FCM's treatment of customer money,

securities, and property associated with positions in foreign futures

and foreign options. Regulation 30.7 was issued pursuant to the

Commission's plenary authority under Section 4(b) of the Act.\9\

Because Congress did not expressly apply the limitations of Section 4d

of the Act to 30.7 funds, the Commission historically has not subjected

those funds to the investment limitations applicable to customer

segregated funds.

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\8\ 17 CFR 30.7.

\9\ 7 U.S.C. 6(b).

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The investment guidelines for 30.7 funds are general in nature.\10\

Although Regulation 1.25 investments offer a safe harbor, the

Commission has not limited investments of 30.7 funds to permitted

investments under Regulation 1.25. The Commission believes that it may

be appropriate to impose such a limitation because the same prudential

concerns that arise in the context of customer segregated funds also

arise in the context of 30.7 funds. Applying the same standards to both

types of funds would be consistent with the Act and would establish a

bright line for the industry and the Commission.

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\10\ See Commission Form 1-FR-FCM Instructions at 12-9 (Mar. 31,

2007) (``In investing funds required to be maintained in separate

section 30.7 account(s), FCMs are bound by their fiduciary

obligations to customers and the requirement that the secured amount

required to be set aside be at all times liquid and sufficient to

cover all obligations to such customers. Regulation 1.25 investments

would be appropriate, as would investments in any other readily

marketable securities.'').

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II. Public Comment Solicited

The Commission is considering significantly revising the scope and

character of permitted investments for customer segregated funds and

30.7 funds and is seeking public comment before issuing any proposed

amendments to Regulations 1.25 or 30.7.

In the interest of gathering as much information as possible before

reaching any conclusions, the Commission is soliciting comments from

the public regarding which instruments should continue to be permitted

investments for customer segregated funds under Regulation 1.25. The

Commission welcomes comments on which instruments no longer merit

inclusion as permitted investments, as well as comments in support of

any new instruments that might qualify as permitted investments. The

Commission also requests comment on appropriate limitations or

safeguards that should be applied to permitted investments.

The Commission is particularly interested in relevant data that

commenters can provide regarding the credit, liquidity, and market risk

of various investment choices. The Commission is open both to evidence

in support of retaining current permitted investments and evidence

indicating a need to eliminate certain permitted investments.

Additionally, the Commission urges commenters to analyze the benefits

and burdens of any

[[Page 23964]]

potential regulatory modifications in light of current market

realities.

Given the substantive and practical concerns that may arise from

altering the current list of permitted investments, the Commission is

seeking the views of all interested parties before regulatory changes,

if any, are proposed. The Commission also will conduct its own research

and analysis. Before any regulatory changes are adopted there will be

an opportunity for additional public comment.

The Commission requests comment on all aspects of Regulation 1.25,

as follows:

A. Permitted Investments Under the Act. U.S. government securities

and municipal securities are permitted investments under Section

4d(a)(2) of the Act and Regulation 1.25(a)(1)(i)-(ii). Please provide

any comments, information, research, or data regarding appropriate

regulatory requirements that might be imposed in order to better

safeguard customer segregated funds.

B. Other Permitted Investments Under Regulation 1.25. Please

provide any comments, information, research, or data in support of

retaining, rescinding, or modifying authorization to invest customer

segregated funds in the following instruments:

1. Government sponsored enterprise securities (Regulation

1.25(a)(1)(iii));

2. Certificates of deposit issued by a bank as defined in section

3(a)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,\11\ or a domestic

branch of a foreign bank that carries deposits insured by the Federal

Deposit Insurance Corporation (Regulation 1.25(a)(1)(iv));

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\11\ 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(6).

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3. Commercial paper (Regulation 1.25(a)(1)(v));

4. Corporate notes or bonds (Regulation 1.25(a)(1)(vi));

5. General obligations of a sovereign nation (Regulation

1.25(a)(1)(vii)); and

6. Interests in money market mutual funds (Regulation

1.25(a)(1)(viii)).

C. Transactions in Permitted Investments. Please provide any

comments, information, research, or data in support of retaining,

rescinding, or modifying authorization to enter into the following

transactions, and please consider the effect that a more limited list

of permitted investments would have on:

1. Repurchase and reverse repurchase transactions using customer

cash or securities purchased with customer cash (Regulation

1.25(a)(2)(i));

2. Repurchase transactions using customer-deposited securities

(Regulation 1.25(a)(2)(ii)); and

3. In-house transactions by FCMs that are also registered as

securities brokers or dealers (Regulation 1.25(a)(3)(i)-(iii)).

D. Limitations and Safeguards. Please provide any comments,

information, research, or data regarding the general terms and

conditions of permitted instruments, including:

1. Marketability/liquidity (Regulation 1.25(b)(1));

2. Rating requirements (Regulation 1.25(b)(2));

3. Restrictions on instrument features, such as instruments that

contain an embedded derivative and adjustable rate securities

(Regulation 1.25(b)(3));

4. Issuer concentration limits (Regulation 1.25(b)(4));

5. Time-to-maturity (for an investment portfolio or individual

instruments) (Regulation 1.25(b)(5));

6. Investments in instruments issued by affiliates (Regulation

1.25(b)(6));

7. Requirements specific to interests in money market mutual funds

(Regulation 1.25(c));

8. Requirements specific to repurchase agreements and reverse

repurchase agreements (Regulation 1.25(d)); and

9. Requirements specific to in-house transactions (Regulation

1.25(e)).

The Commission requests comment on Regulation 30.7, as follows:

Please provide comments, information, research, or data on the

effect of applying the requirements of Regulation 1.25 to investments

of 30.7 funds. The Commission also requests comments, information,

research, or data relating to whether there is any basis supporting the

continued application of two different investment standards.

Issued in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2009, by the Commission.

David A. Stawick,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. E9-12020 Filed 5-21-09; 8:45 am]

Last Updated: May 9, 2012