e9-6369

FR Doc E9-6369[Federal Register: March 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 55)]

[Notices]

[Page 12316-12320]

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

[DOCID:fr24mr09-40]

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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

Order (1) Pursuant to Section 4(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act,

Permitting the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to Clear Certain Over-the-

Counter Agricultural Swaps and (2) Pursuant to Section 4d of the

Commodity Exchange Act, Permitting Customer Positions in Such Cleared-

Only Contracts and Associated Funds To Be Commingled With Other

Positions and Funds Held in Customer Segregated Accounts

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

ACTION: Order.

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SUMMARY: By petition dated April 21, 2008 (Petition), the Chicago

Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME), a registered derivatives clearing

organization (DCO), and the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.

(CBOT), a designated contract market, requested permission to clear

certain over-the counter (OTC) swap agreements (swaps) in corn, wheat,

and soybeans. Authority for granting this request is found in Section

4(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act (Act).\1\ The Petition also

requested permission pursuant to Section 4d of the Act \2\ to allow CME

and futures commission merchants (FCMs) clearing through CME to

commingle positions in those cleared-only OTC swaps (cleared-only

contracts) and funds associated with those positions with positions and

funds otherwise required to be held in a customer segregated account.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission) has reviewed

public comments and the entire record in this matter and it has

determined to issue an order granting the requested permission, subject

to certain terms and conditions.

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\1\ 7 U.S.C. 6(c).

\2\ 7 U.S.C. 6d.

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DATES: Effective Date: March 18, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phyllis P. Dietz, Associate Director,

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

Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette

Centre, 1155 21st Street, NW., Washington, DC 20581.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. The CME/CBOT Petition

CME, the DCO that provides clearing services for CBOT, and CBOT

jointly submitted a Petition requesting that the Commission issue an

exemptive order under Section 4(c) of the Act.\3\ The order would grant

CME approval to clear OTC corn basis swaps and corn, wheat, and soybean

calendar swaps, and it would permit CBOT to list those products for

``clearing-only.'' \4\ The contract size for the basis and calendar

swaps would be the same as that for corn, wheat, and soybean futures--

5,000 bushels. Each of the proposed cleared-only contracts would be

cash settled, in contrast to the corresponding futures contracts which

are physically settled.

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\3\ A copy of the petition is available on the Commission's Web

site at http://www.cftc.gov/.

\4\ The suite of OTC agricultural swap products that CBOT

proposes to list for clearing-only is comprised of corn basis swap

contracts for the following regions: Northeastern Iowa, Northwestern

Iowa, Southern Iowa, Eastern Nebraska, Eastern South Dakota, and

Southern Minnesota; and corn, wheat, and soybean calendar swaps.

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Part 35 of the Commission's regulations \5\ exempts, subject to

conditions, swap agreements and eligible persons entering into such

agreements from most provisions of the Act.\6\ The term ``swap

agreement'' is defined to include, among other types of agreements, a

``basis swap'' and a ``commodity swap.'' \7\ Part 35 was promulgated

pursuant to authority conferred upon the Commission in Section 4(c) of

the Act to exempt certain transactions in order to explicitly permit

certain off-exchange derivatives transactions and thus promote

innovation and competition.\8\ A number of exemptions and exclusions

for off-exchange derivatives transactions were subsequently added to

the Act by the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000,\9\ but none

apply to agricultural contracts.\10\

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\5\ 17 CFR Part 35 (Commission regulations are hereinafter cited

as ``Reg. --'').

\6\ Jurisdiction is retained for, among other things, provisions

of the Act proscribing fraud and manipulation. See Reg. 35.2.

\7\ Reg. 35.1(b)(1)(i). ``Commodity'' is defined in Section

1a(4) of the Act to include a variety of specified agricultural

products, ``and all other goods and articles, except onions... and

all services, rights, and interests in which contracts for future

delivery are presently or in the future dealt in.''

\8\ See 58 FR 5587 (Jan. 22, 1993). Section 4(c) of the Act was

added by Section 502(a) of the Futures Trading Practices Act of

1992, Public Law 102-546, 106 Stat. 3590 (1992).

\9\ Public Law 106-554, 114 Stat. 2763 (2000).

\10\ See, e.g., Sections 2(d), (g) and (h) of the Act, 7 U.S.C.

2(d), (g), and (h).

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Part 35 requires, among other things, that a swap agreement not be

part of a fungible class of agreements that are

[[Page 12317]]

standardized as to their material economic terms,\11\ and that the

creditworthiness of any party having an interest under the agreement be

a material consideration in entering into or negotiating the terms of

the agreement.\12\ Under the arrangement proposed by CME and CBOT, a

cleared-only contract could be offset by another cleared-only contract

with equivalent terms. In addition, due to the introduction of a

clearing guarantee, the creditworthiness of the counterparty would no

longer be a consideration. Accordingly, the OTC swaps CME would clear

would not satisfy all of the conditions of Part 35.\13\

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\11\ Reg. 35.2(b).

\12\ Reg. 35.2(c).

\13\ The contracts that CBOT proposes to list for clearing-only

would, however, meet the requirements of Reg. 35.2(a) and (d) in

that they would be entered into solely between eligible swap

participants and executed OTC, respectively.

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Part 35 permits ``any person [to] apply to the Commission for

exemption from any of the provisions of the Act * * * for other

arrangements or facilities.'' \14\ CME and CBOT have petitioned the

Commission for an order under Section 4(c) of the Act that would exempt

certain cleared-only contracts involving corn, wheat, or soybeans to

the same extent as contracts that are exempt pursuant to Part 35 of the

Commission's regulations.

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\14\ Reg. 35.2(d).

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In addition, CME and CBOT also requested an order under Section 4d

of the Act so that CME and clearing members of CBOT could hold

positions in the cleared-only contracts and associated funds in the

customer segregated account along with positions in exchange-traded

futures and customer funds, resulting in improved collateral management

and other benefits.

II. Sections 4(c) and 4d of the Act

A. Permitting the OTC Swaps To Be Cleared

In enacting Section 4(c) of the Act, Congress noted that the goal

of the provision ``is to give the Commission a means of providing

certainty and stability to existing and emerging markets so that

financial innovation and market development can proceed in an effective

and competitive manner.'' \15\ Section 4(c)(1) of the Act empowers the

Commission to ``promote responsible economic or financial innovation

and fair competition'' by exempting any transaction or class of

transactions from any of the provisions of the Act (subject to

exceptions not relevant here) where the Commission determines that the

exemption would be consistent with the public interest.\16\ The

Commission may grant such an exemption by rule, regulation, or order,

after notice and opportunity for hearing, and may do so on application

of any person or on its own initiative.

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\15\ House Conf. Report No. 102-978, 1992 U.S.C.C.A.N. 3179,

3213.

\16\ Section 4(c)(1) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 6(c)(1), provides in

full as follows:

In order to promote responsible economic or financial innovation

and fair competition, the Commission by rule, regulation, or order,

after notice and opportunity for hearing, may (on its own initiative

or on application of any person, including any board of trade

designated or registered as a contract market or derivatives

transaction execution facility for transactions for future delivery

in any commodity under section 7 of this title) exempt any

agreement, contract, or transaction (or class thereof) that is

otherwise subject to subsection (a) of this section (including any

person or class of persons offering, entering into, rendering advice

or rendering other services with respect to, the agreement,

contract, or transaction), either unconditionally or on stated terms

or conditions or for stated periods and either retroactively or

prospectively, or both, from any of the requirements of subsection

(a) of this section, or from any other provision of this chapter

(except subparagraphs (c)(ii) and (D) of section 2(a)(1) of this

title, except that the Commission and the Securities and Exchange

Commission may by rule, regulation, or order jointly exclude any

agreement, contract, or transaction from section 2(a)(1)(D) of this

title), if the Commission determines that the exemption would be

consistent with the public interest.

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Section 4(c)(2) of the Act provides that the Commission may grant

exemptions from Section 4(a) of the Act only when the Commission

determines that the requirements for which an exemption is being

provided should not be applied to the agreements, contracts, or

transactions at issue, and the exemption is consistent with the public

interest and the purposes of the Act; that the agreements, contracts,

or transactions will be entered into solely between appropriate

persons; and that the exemption will not have a material adverse effect

on the ability of the Commission or any contract market or derivatives

transaction execution facility to discharge its regulatory or self-

regulatory responsibilities under the Act.\17\

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\17\ Section 4(c)(2) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 6(c)(2), provides in

full as follows:

The Commission shall not grant any exemption under paragraph (1)

from any of the requirements of subsection (a) of this section

unless the Commission determines that--

(A) The requirement should not be applied to the agreement,

contract, or transaction for which the exemption is sought and that

the exemption would be consistent with the public interest and the

purposes of this Act; and

(B) The agreement, contract, or transaction--

(i) Will be entered into solely between appropriate persons; and

(ii) Will not have a material adverse effect on the ability of

the Commission or any contract market or derivatives transaction

execution facility to discharge its regulatory or self-regulatory

duties under this Act.

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The Commission requested comment on whether it should grant an

exemption from the requirements of the Act, thereby permitting corn

basis swaps and corn, wheat, and soybean calendar swaps to be cleared

through CME. It also requested comment on whether such an exemption

would affect its ability to discharge its regulatory responsibilities

under the Act or with the self-regulatory duties of any contract

market.

B. Permitting Funds To Be Commingled

Section 4d(a)(2) of the Act prohibits commingling positions

executed on a contract market and customer funds associated with such

positions together with any funds not required to be so segregated.\18\

Section 4d(a)(2) provides that the Commission may grant exceptions to

this prohibition by order.

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\18\ Under Reg. 1.3(gg), the term ``customer funds'' is defined

to include all money, securities, and property received by an FCM or

by a DCO from, for, or on behalf of, customers or option customers

to margin, guarantee or secure exchange-traded futures contracts or

options on futures, and all money accruing to such customers as the

result of such contracts. The term ``funds'' is similarly used

herein to refer to cash as well as securities and other property

associated with futures contracts or cleared-only contracts.

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In this case, the corn basis swaps and corn, wheat, and soybean

calendar swaps are not executed on a contract market and, thus, holding

positions in those contracts and associated funds in an account

together with positions and customer funds required to be segregated

would, absent a Commission order, violate Section 4d. Having analyzed

the risks and benefits associated with commingling such positions and

funds in a customer segregated account, the Commission has determined

that the benefits of the proposal outweigh the risks and that the

proposal, along with conditions set forth by the Commission, will

provide for a sufficient level of safeguards to address the risks

adequately.

III. Comment Letters

The Commission published a request for comments regarding the 4(c)

exemption in the Federal Register on July 7, 2008.\19\ At the same

time, it posted the Petition on the Commission's Web site, providing

the opportunity for the public to comment on any aspect of the

Petition, including the request for an order under Section 4d of the

Act. As a result of the non-transmission of a comment letter submitted

through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, the Commission reopened the

comment period on December 31, 2008,

[[Page 12318]]

specifically to afford the commenter whose submission was not received,

the opportunity to resubmit the comment.\20\ In addition, any other

member of the public was permitted to comment during the reopened

comment period.

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\19\ See 73 FR 38403 (July 7, 2008) (45-day comment period

closing August 21, 2008).

\20\ See 73 FR 80367 (Dec. 31, 2008) (reopening the comment

period for 21 days).

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The Commission received seven comment letters, one of which was

submitted during the reopened comment period. Five letters expressly

supported the issuance of an exemptive order to permit clearing of the

OTC swaps, citing such benefits as increased transparency and liquidity

in the OTC markets, enhanced risk management for market participants,

and greater regulatory surveillance including large trader reporting.

Of those letters, two specifically commented on the 4d order request.

Both of those letters supported the issuance of an order to permit the

commingling of positions in cleared-only contracts and associated funds

with positions and customer funds otherwise required to be held in a

customer segregated account. One letter focused on the bankruptcy

treatment of cleared-only contract positions and associated funds when

they are held in a customer segregated account.\21\ One commenter

opposed the issuance of an exemption permitting clearing of OTC swaps

based on concerns about the impact of OTC clearing on the use of

exchange-traded futures contracts for hedging purposes.

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\21\ This bankruptcy matter was subsequently addressed in an

Interpretative Statement issued by the Commission on September 26,

2008. See 73 FR 65514 (Nov. 4, 2008).

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IV. Findings and Conclusions

After considering the complete record in this matter, including the

comments received, the Commission finds that the requirements of

Section 4(c) of the Act have been met with respect to the request for

an order permitting the clearing of certain corn basis swaps and corn,

wheat, and soybean calendar swaps.

First, permitting the clearing of these transactions is consistent

with the public interest and with the purposes of the Act. The purposes

of the Act include ``promot[ing] responsible innovation and fair

competition among boards of trade, other markets, and market

participants.'' \22\ The purpose of an exemption is ``to promote

economic or financial innovation and fair competition.'' \23\

Permitting the clearing of corn basis swaps and corn, wheat, and

soybean calendar swaps by CME would appear to foster both financial

innovation and competition. It could benefit the marketplace by

providing eligible swap participants the ability to bring together

flexible negotiation with central counterparty guarantees and capital

efficiencies. Clearing also may increase the liquidity of the OTC

markets and thereby foster competition in those markets.

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\22\ Section 3(b) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 5(b).

\23\ Section 4(c)(1) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 6(c)(1).

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Second, the OTC swaps would be entered into solely between

appropriate persons. Those would be limited to persons qualifying as

eligible swap participants under Part 35.\24\

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\24\ See Reg. 35.1(b)(2) (defining the term ``eligible swap

participant'').

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Third, the exemption would not have a material adverse effect on

the ability of the Commission or any designated contract market to

carry out its regulatory or self-regulatory responsibilities under the

Act. Clearing of OTC swaps will actually enhance the Commission's

ability to carry out its regulatory responsibilities by, for example,

facilitating the collection of large trader reports for cleared-only

contracts. CME will use the same systems, procedures, personnel, and

processes to clear the OTC swaps as it currently employs with respect

to all of the other transactions it clears on behalf of CBOT.

The commenter who opposed granting the exemption raised a question

as to how clearing OTC swaps would impact trading in the corresponding

futures contracts, expressing the view that the ability to clear OTC

contracts would serve as a disincentive to enter into exchange-traded

futures contracts, thereby drawing business away from those markets to

OTC markets. Given the lack of empirical data relating to the trading

behavior of futures market participants when clearing becomes available

for OTC products, the basis for the commenter's concerns cannot be

readily substantiated or refuted. As a result, the Commission is unable

to conclude that providing eligible swap participants with the

opportunity to clear OTC swaps would undermine the purpose or

usefulness of trading in the futures markets. Moreover, because

eligible swap participants already engage in OTC transactions,

permitting clearing would provide a means for achieving benefits that

serve the public interest.

The Commission has concluded that permitting the clearing of OTC

corn basis swaps and corn, wheat, and soybean calendar swaps, subject

to the terms and conditions of the order, furthers the goals of market

transparency and liquidity, and financial risk management. It also

enhances the Commission's ability to obtain market information and

conduct oversight once OTC transactions are cleared by a registered

DCO.

With respect to the petitioners' request for an order pursuant to

Section 4d permitting CME and FCMs clearing through CME to commingle

cleared-only contract positions and associated funds with positions and

customer funds required to be held in a customer segregated account,

the Commission has considered whether the additional risk to customers

presented by such commingling can be adequately addressed and

mitigated. Additional risk is presented to customers as a result of the

risk of default involving the commingled cleared-only contracts.

The carrying FCM should have adequate means to address a default by

a customer holding cleared-only contracts. In the event of a customer

default on a position in a cleared-only corn basis swap, the clearing

firm could offset its risk by entering into an opposite position in the

OTC corn basis swap market through a broker or dealer. Alternatively,

the clearing firm could offset its risk by entering into an opposite

transaction in the cash corn basis market, which is very liquid due to

participation by country elevators, terminal elevators, ethanol

processors, and livestock feeders. In the event of a customer default

on a position in the corn, wheat, or soybean cleared-only calendar

swaps contracts, the clearing firm could offset its risk by liquidating

the customer position through a broker or dealer in the calendar swap

market or by taking an economically equivalent position in the

corresponding futures contract.

The order requires that CME review the clearing members' risk

management capabilities to verify that all members clearing OTC swaps

maintain sufficient operational capability to manage a default in a

cleared-only contract. In the event of a clearing firm default, CME

would have available the same means for managing the default as the

clearing firm would have in the first instance.

The order also requires that CBOT (1) maintain a coordinated market

surveillance program that encompasses the cleared-only contracts and

the corresponding futures contracts, and (2) adopt speculative position

limits for each of the cleared-only contracts, that are the same as the

limits applicable to the corresponding futures contracts. These

measures should mitigate market risk.

Accordingly, the Commission has determined that CME will be able to

employ reasonable safeguards to protect customer funds, and that it

will be able

[[Page 12319]]

to measure, monitor, manage, and account for risks associated with

transactions and open interest in the cleared-only contracts as it does

for other contracts it clears. The Commission believes that CME has

sufficiently demonstrated that it will continue to comply with the DCO

core principles set forth in Section 5b of the Act in connection with

holding customer positions in cleared-only corn basis swaps and corn,

wheat, and soybean calendar swaps and associated funds with positions

and customer funds required to be held in a customer segregated account

pursuant to Section 4d of the Act.

V. Related Matters

A. Paperwork Reduction Act

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) \25\ imposes certain

requirements on Federal agencies (including the Commission) in

connection with their conducting or sponsoring any collection of

information as defined by the PRA. The Commission's order will not

require a new collection of information from any entities that would be

subject to the order.

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\25\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).

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B. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Section 15(a) of the Act,\26\ requires the Commission to consider

the costs and benefits of its action before issuing an order under the

Act. By its terms, Section 15(a) does not require the Commission to

quantify the costs and benefits of an order or to determine whether the

benefits of the order outweigh its costs. Rather, Section 15(a) simply

requires the Commission to ``consider the costs and benefits'' of its

action.

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\26\ 7 U.S.C. 19(a).

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Section 15(a) of the Act further specifies that costs and benefits

shall be evaluated in light of five broad areas of market and public

concern: Protection of market participants and the public; efficiency,

competitiveness, and financial integrity of futures markets; price

discovery; sound risk management practices; and other public interest

considerations. Accordingly, the Commission could in its discretion

give greater weight to any one of the five enumerated areas and could

in its discretion determine that, notwithstanding its costs, a

particular order was necessary or appropriate to protect the public

interest or to effectuate any of the provisions or to accomplish any of

the purposes of the Act.

The Commission has considered the costs and benefits of this order

in light of the specific provisions of Section 15(a) of the Act, as

follows:

1. Protection of Market Participants and the Public. The cleared-

only contracts will be entered into only by persons who are

``appropriate persons'' as set forth in Section 4(c) of the Act. Only

eligible swap participants will enter into the corn basis swaps and

corn, wheat, and soybean calendar swaps that will be cleared pursuant

to the Commission's order. Allowing the commingling of positions in

cleared-only contracts and associated funds with positions and customer

funds required to be segregated under Section 4d of the Act will

benefit market participants by facilitating clearing and the reduction

of credit risk for contracts that meet market participants' specific

risk management requirements. Customers holding positions in cleared-

only contracts also would benefit from having those positions and

associated funds held in a customer segregated account in the event of

the insolvency of an FCM. Futures customers will be protected from

risks associated with the commingling of funds by a number of existing

risk management and other safeguards, including CME's financial

surveillance of clearing members and its financial resources package,

as supplemented by conditions imposed by the order.

2. Efficiency and Competition. Allowing the OTC swaps to be cleared

appears likely to promote liquidity and transparency in the markets for

OTC derivatives as well as futures on those commodities. The

commingling of positions in the cleared-only contracts and associated

funds with positions and customer funds required to be held in a

customer segregated account should result in improved, more efficient,

collateral management and lower administrative costs given that risk-

reducing positions will be held together in the same account rendering

a more precise estimation of the risk posed by the account. The

availability of cleared-only contracts also provides another risk

management tool that could compete with other OTC products.

3. Financial Integrity of Futures Markets and Price Discovery.

Price discovery is likely to be enhanced by bringing greater

transparency to the OTC market for the subject commodities. The Section

4(c) exemption also may promote financial integrity by providing the

benefits of clearing to the OTC markets. As discussed above, the

Commission believes that the risks associated with the commingling of

funds in the customer segregated account can be appropriately

mitigated.

4. Sound Risk Management Practices. Clearing of the OTC swaps is

likely to improve risk management by the participant counterparties.

CME's risk management practices in clearing these transactions are

subject to the Commission's supervision and oversight.

5. Other Public Interest Considerations. The action taken by the

Commission under Sections 4(c) and 4d of the Act is likely to encourage

market competition in agricultural derivatives products. It will also

further the Commission's overall goals in supporting greater market

transparency, credit risk management, and regulatory oversight by

encouraging the clearing of OTC products.

The Commission requested comment on its application of these

factors in the proposing release. No comments were received.

VI. Order

After considering the above factors and the comment letters

received in response to its request for comments, the Commission has

determined to issue the following:

Order

(1) The Commission, pursuant to its authority under Section 4(c) of

the Act and subject to the conditions below, hereby permits eligible

swap participants to submit for clearing, and FCMs and CME to clear,

the following OTC agricultural swap contracts (eligible products):

(a) Corn basis swap contracts for the following regions:

(i) Northeastern Iowa;

(ii) Northwestern Iowa;

(iii) Southern Iowa;

(iv) Eastern Nebraska;

(v) Eastern South Dakota; and

(vi) Southern Minnesota.

(b) Corn calendar swap contracts.

(c) Wheat calendar swap contracts.

(d) Soybean calendar swap contracts.

(2) The Commission, pursuant to its authority under Section 4d of

the Act and subject to the conditions below, hereby permits CME and

clearing members of CBOT that are registered FCMs, acting pursuant to

this order, to hold money, securities, and other property, used to

margin, guarantee, or secure cleared-only transactions in eligible

products (cleared-only contracts), and belonging to customers that are

eligible swap participants, with other customer funds used to margin,

guarantee, or secure trades or positions in commodity futures or

commodity option contracts executed on or subject to the rules of a

contract market designated pursuant to Section 5 of the

[[Page 12320]]

Act, in a customer segregated account or accounts maintained in

accordance with Section 4d of the Act (including any orders issued

pursuant to Section 4d(a)(2) of the Act) and the Commission's

regulations thereunder, and all such customer funds shall be accounted

for and treated and dealt with as belonging to the customers of the

CBOT clearing member, consistent with Section 4d of the Act and the

regulations thereunder.

(3) This order is subject to the following conditions:

(a) The contracts, agreements, or transactions subject to this

order shall be executed pursuant to the requirements of Part 35 of the

Commission's regulations, as modified herein, and shall be limited to

the eligible products enumerated in this order.

(b) All eligible products shall be submitted for clearing by a CBOT

clearing member to CME pursuant to CBOT and CME rules.

(c) Each cleared-only contract shall be marked to market on a daily

basis, and final settlement prices shall be established in accordance

with CBOT rules.

(d) CME shall apply its margining system and calculate performance

bond rates for each cleared-only contract in accordance with its normal

and customary practices.

(e) CME shall apply appropriate risk management procedures with

respect to transactions and open interest in the cleared-only

contracts. CME shall conduct financial surveillance and oversight of

CBOT members clearing the eligible products, and it shall conduct

oversight sufficient to assure CME that each such member has the

appropriate operational capabilities necessary to manage defaults in

such contracts. CME and clearing members of CBOT, acting pursuant to

this order, shall take all other steps necessary and appropriate to

manage risk related to clearing eligible products.

(f) CBOT shall make available open interest and settlement price

information for the cleared-only contracts on a daily basis in the same

manner as for contracts listed on CBOT.

(g) CBOT shall establish and maintain a coordinated market

surveillance program that encompasses the cleared-only contracts and

the corresponding futures contracts listed by CBOT on its designated

contract market.

(h) CBOT shall adopt speculative position limits for each of the

cleared-only contracts that are the same as the limits applicable to

the corresponding futures contracts pursuant to Commission Regulation

150.2.

(i) The cleared-only contracts shall not be treated as fungible

with any contract listed for trading on CBOT.

(j) Each FCM acting pursuant to this order shall keep the types of

information and records that are described in Section 4g of the Act and

Commission regulations thereunder, including but not limited to

Commission Regulation 1.35, with respect to all cleared-only contracts.

Such information and records shall be produced for inspection in

accordance with the requirements of Commission Regulation 1.31.

(k) CBOT shall provide to the Commission the types of information

described in Part 16 of the Commission's regulations in the manner

described in Parts 15 and 16 of the Commission's regulations with

respect to all cleared-only contracts.

(l) CBOT shall apply large trader reporting requirements to

cleared-only contracts in accordance with its rules, and each FCM

acting pursuant to this order shall provide to the Commission the types

of information described in Part 17 of the Commission's regulations in

the manner described in Parts 15 and 17 of the Commission's regulations

with respect to all cleared-only contracts in which it participates.

(m) CME and CBOT shall at all times fulfill all representations

made in their requests for Commission action under Sections 4(c) and 4d

of the Act and all supporting materials thereto.

This order is based upon the representations made and supporting

material provided to the Commission by CME and CBOT in connection with

their requests. Any material change or omission in the facts and

circumstances pursuant to which this order is granted might require the

Commission to reconsider its finding that the actions taken herein are

appropriate. Further, in its discretion, the Commission may condition,

suspend, terminate, or otherwise modify this order, as appropriate, on

its own motion.

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2009 by the Commission.

David A. Stawick,

Secretary of the Commission.

[FR Doc. E9-6369 Filed 3-23-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6351-01-P

Last Updated: March 24, 2009