Government Securities Act Regulations: Large Position Reporting Rules, 33145-33159 [2014-13482]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 111 / Tuesday, June 10, 2014 / Proposed Rules
corresponding to the normal all-enginesoperating procedure in which Vmin1g for
this configuration does not exceed
110% of the Vmin1g for the related allengines-operating landing configuration
in icing, with a climb speed established
with normal landing procedures, but not
more than 1.4 VSR (VSR determined in
non-icing conditions).
5. In lieu of § 25.123(b)(2)(i) we
propose the following requirements:
In lieu of § 25.123(b)(2)(i):
(i) The minimum en-route speed
scheduled in non-icing conditions does
not provide the maneuvering capability
specified in § 25.143(h) for the en-route
configuration, or
6. In lieu of § 25.125(b)(2)(ii)(B) and
§ 25.125(b)(2)(ii)(C), we propose the
following requirement:
(B) A speed that provides the
maneuvering capability specified in
§ 25.143(h) with the landing ice
accretion defined in part 25, appendix
C.
7. In lieu of § 25.143(j)(2)(i), we
propose the following requirement:
(i) The airplane is controllable in a
pull-up maneuver up to 1.5 g load factor
or lower if limited by angle of attack
protection; and
8. In lieu of § 25.207, Stall warning, to
read as the requirements defined in
these special conditions Part I, Section
4.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 2,
2014.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–13528 Filed 6–9–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 77
[Docket No. FAA–2014–0134]
RIN 2120–AF90
Proposal To Consider the Impact of
One Engine Inoperative Procedures in
Obstruction Evaluation Aeronautical
Studies
Federal Aviation
Administration, Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Proposed policy; notice of
public meeting and extension of
comment period.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
AGENCY:
The FAA will hold a public
meeting to discuss its proposal to
consider the impact of one engine
inoperative procedures during
SUMMARY:
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33145
aeronautical studies. This proposal was
published in the Federal Register on
April 28, 2014. During the meeting, the
FAA will explain the proposal and
respond to questions seeking
clarification of the proposed policy. In
addition, the FAA is extending the time
period for which the public may submit
written comments for an additional 30
days.
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 3, 2014.
Raymond Towles,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regions
and Center Operations, Office of Finance and
Management, Federal Aviation
Administration.
The comment period for the
proposed policy published April 28,
2014 (79 FR 23300), is extended. The
meeting will be held online with a
teleconference on Wednesday, June 25,
2014, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
eastern time. Written public comments
regarding this FAA proposed policy
should be submitted by July 28, 2014.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
DATES:
John
Speckin, Airport Obstruction Standards
Committee, Region and Center
Operations, Office of Finance and
Management, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (816) 329–3053; email: 7ACE-Federal-Registry-Notice@faa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
On April
28, 2014, the FAA published for public
comment a proposal to amend its policy
concerning the impacts of certain
structures during aeronautical studies
conducted under Title 14 of the Code of
Federal Regulations Part 77.
Specifically, the FAA proposed to
consider the impact of one engine out
procedures when studying new
structures or modifications to existing
structures at certain airports that have a
defined departure area for each runway
end supporting commercial service
operations. FAA is proposing to factor
these impacts into the aeronautical
study process because the encroachment
of airspace by structures surrounding
certain airports appears to be
significantly limiting options available
to airlines to establish OEI procedures.
Registration for the meeting is required
by June 23, 2014. To register, email 7ACE-Federal-Registry-Notice@faa.gov
with your name and the company or
organization you are representing. In a
response email, the attendees will be
provided with instructions on how to
connect to the online meeting and the
teleconference. In the public meeting,
the FAA will provide a slide
presentation to further explain the
proposed policy. Participants will be
able to submit questions utilizing the
instant message application of the
online tool. In addition, the FAA is
extending the time period for which the
public may submit written comments
for an additional 30 days.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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[FR Doc. 2014–13484 Filed 6–5–14; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
17 CFR Part 420
[Docket No. Treas–DO–2014–0002]
Government Securities Act
Regulations: Large Position Reporting
Rules
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Financial Markets,
Treasury.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Department of the
Treasury (Treasury) is issuing this
notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit
public comment on proposed
amendments to Treasury’s rules for
reporting large positions in certain
Treasury securities. The large position
reporting rules are issued under the
Government Securities Act (GSA) for
the purposes of monitoring the impact
in the Treasury securities market of
concentrations of positions in Treasury
securities and otherwise assisting the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) in enforcing the GSA. In addition,
the large position reports provide
Treasury with information to better
understand supply and demand
dynamics in certain Treasury securities.
The proposed amendments are designed
to improve the information available to
Treasury and simplify the reporting
process for many entities subject to the
large position reporting rules.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
August 9, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be
submitted by any of the following
methods:
SUMMARY:
Electronic Comments
Use the Federal eRulemaking Portal
(www.regulations.gov) and follow the
instructions for submitting comments
through the Web site. You may
download this proposed rule from
www.regulations.gov or
www.treasurydirect.gov.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments to Department
of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal
Service, Government Securities
Regulations Staff, 401 14th Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20227.
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 111 / Tuesday, June 10, 2014 / Proposed Rules
Please submit your comments using
only one method, along with your full
name and mailing address. We will post
all comments to www.regulations.gov
and on the TreasuryDirect Web site at
www.treasurydirect.gov. The proposed
rule and comments will also be
available for public inspection and
copying at the Treasury Department
Library, Treasury Annex Room 1020,
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20220. To visit the
library, call (202) 622–0990 for an
appointment. In general, comments
received, including attachments and
other supporting materials, are part of
the public record and are available to
the public. Do not submit any
information in your comments or
supporting materials that you consider
confidential or inappropriate for public
disclosure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori
Santamorena, Executive Director, or
Kevin Hawkins, Government Securities
Advisor, Department of the Treasury,
Bureau of the Fiscal Service,
Government Securities Regulations
Staff, (202) 504–3632 or email us at
govsecreg@fiscal.treasury.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Treasury
is proposing amendments to the large
position reporting (LPR) rules to
improve the information reported so
that Treasury can better understand
supply and demand dynamics in certain
Treasury securities. Specifically, the
proposed amendments would: (1)
Request that central banks (including
U.S. Federal Reserve Banks for their
own account), foreign governments, and
international monetary authorities
voluntarily submit large position reports
(Reports) when they meet or exceed the
reporting threshold(s); (2) replace the
current $2 billion minimum reporting
threshold with a percentage standard;
(3) replace the concept of the
‘‘reportable position’’ with a
requirement that defined reporting
entities 1 must file a Report if any one
of seven criteria is met; (4) revise the
format for the reporting of positions in
the specified Treasury security and
establish a two-column format for the
reporting of gross ‘‘obligations to
receive’’ and gross ‘‘obligations to
deliver;’’ (5) expand the components of
a position to include futures, options on
futures, and options; (6) provide an
option for reporting entities to identify
the type(s) of business engaged in by the
reporting entity and any of its
aggregating entities with positions in the
specified Treasury security, and to
identify their overall investment
1 17
CFR 420.2(i).
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strategy with respect to positions in the
specified Treasury security; and (7)
consolidate relevant guidance in the
LPR rules.
The proposed amendments to the LPR
rules reflect Treasury’s continuing need
to obtain relevant information from
reporting entities while minimizing the
cost and burden on those entities. We
believe these amendments are
consistent with the findings of Congress
that ‘‘(1) the liquid and efficient
operation of the government securities
market is essential to facilitate
government borrowing at the lowest
possible cost to taxpayers; and (2) the
fair and honest treatment of investors
will strengthen the integrity and
liquidity of the government securities
market.’’ 2 In this proposed rule, we first
provide background on the current LPR
rules and then describe the proposed
amendments to those rules.
Table of Contents
I. Background
A. Statutory Authority
B. Who is Subject to the Large Position
Reporting Rules
C. Rulemaking
II. Current Large Position Reporting Rules
A. Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements
1. On-Demand Reporting System
2. Notice Requesting Large Position
Reports
3. Control
4. Components of a Position
5. Recordkeeping
B. Calls for Large Position Reports
III. Proposed Amendments to the Large
Position Reporting Rules
A. Balancing of Regulatory and Market
Needs
B. Section 420.1—Applicability
C. Section 420.2—Definitions
1. Large Position Threshold
2. Reporting Requirement
3. Tri-party Repurchase Agreement Shells
D. Changes to the Large Position Report
1. Reporting Format
2. Gross Reporting
3. Futures and Options Contracts
4. Components of a Position
5. Optional Administrative Information
E. Consolidated Guidance
F. Request for Comment
IV. Paperwork Reduction Act
V. Special Analysis
I. Background
A. Statutory Authority
In response to short squeezes in twoyear Treasury notes that occurred in the
government securities market in 1990–
1991,3 Congress included a large
2 Public Law 103–202, 107 Stat. 2344 (1993) [15
U.S.C. 78o–5(f)].
3 Joint Report on the Government Securities
Market, Department of the Treasury, Securities and
Exchange Commission, and Board of Governors of
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position reporting provision in the 1993
amendments to the GSA.4 This
provision grants Treasury the authority
to prescribe rules requiring specified
persons holding, maintaining, or
controlling large positions in to-beissued or recently-issued 5 Treasury
securities to file reports regarding such
positions and to keep records when
required by Treasury. The provision was
intended to improve the collection of
information by Treasury regarding large
positions in Treasury securities held by
market participants. Such information
allows Treasury to monitor the impact
of concentrations of positions in the
Treasury securities market. This
information is also made available to the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
(FRBNY), as Treasury’s agent, and the
SEC.6 Treasury believes that large
positions in Treasury securities are not
inherently problematic and there is no
presumption of manipulative or illegal
intent merely because a reporting
entity’s position is large enough to be
subject to Treasury’s LPR rules.
The GSA specifically provides that
Treasury shall not be compelled to
disclose publicly any information
required to be kept or reported for large
position reporting. In particular, such
information is exempted by the GSA
from disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act.7
B. Who Is Subject to the Large Position
Reporting Rules
Treasury’s LPR rules apply to all
persons and entities, foreign and
domestic, that control a reportable
position in a Treasury security,
including: Government securities
brokers and dealers; registered
investment companies; registered
investment advisers; custodians,
including depository institutions, that
exercise investment discretion; hedge
funds; pension funds; insurance
companies; and foreign affiliates of U.S.
entities.
The current rules provide an
exemption for foreign central banks,
foreign governments, and international
the Federal Reserve System (1992). See
www.treasurydirect.gov. Market participants use the
term ‘‘squeeze’’ to refer to a shortage of supply
relative to demand for a particular security, as
evidenced by a movement in its price to a level that
is out of line with prices of comparable securities—
either outright trading quotations or in financing
arrangements.
4 See note 2, supra.
5 Treasury may request information on securities
that fall outside of these timeframes if such
‘‘information is necessary and appropriate for
monitoring the impact of concentrations of
positions in Treasury securities.’’ (See 17 CFR
420.2(g)(5)).
6 15 U.S.C 78o–5(f)(1).
7 15 U.S.C. 78o–5(f)(6).
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monetary authorities (collectively,
‘‘foreign official organizations’’).8 U.S.
Federal Reserve Banks are also exempt
for the portion of any reportable
position they control for their own
account.9
C. Rulemaking
Treasury published final rules in 1996
that established recordkeeping and
reporting requirements related to large
positions in certain Treasury
securities.10 The LPR rules were
subsequently amended in 2002 to
improve the collection of information in
the Report by requiring more detailed
reporting of certain components of the
formula for determining a reportable
position, adding a second memorandum
item that requires the reporting of the
gross par amount of ‘‘fails to deliver,’’
and modifying the definition of ‘‘gross
financing position’’ to eliminate the
optional exclusion in the calculation of
the amount of securities received
through certain financing transactions.11
II. Current Large Position Reporting
Rules
A. Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements
1. On-Demand Reporting System
An ‘‘on-demand’’ reporting system,
rather than a regular, ongoing system of
reporting, provides Treasury with the
information necessary to understand
supply and demand dynamics in the
Treasury securities market, while
minimizing the potential impact on the
market’s efficiency and liquidity and the
cost to taxpayers of funding the federal
debt. It also minimizes the cost and
burden to those reporting entities
affected by the LPR rules.
2. Notice Requesting Large Position
Reports
Reports must be filed with FRBNY in
response to a notice 12 from Treasury
requesting large position information on
a specific issue of a Treasury security.
The Reports must be filed by defined
reporting entities controlling positions
that equal or exceed the reporting
threshold specified in the notice.
FRBNY must receive the Reports before
noon Eastern time on the fourth
business day after the issuance of the
notice calling for large position
information.
3. Control
Treasury defines ‘‘control’’ as the
authority to ‘‘exercise investment
discretion over the purchase, sale,
retention, or financing of specific
Treasury securities.’’ 13 Investment
discretion can be exercised by the
beneficial owner, a custodian, or an
investment adviser. The party
responsible for making investment
decisions, regardless of where securities
are held, is the relevant reporting entity
for large position reporting because the
actions and objectives of the decision
maker are what we are trying to
determine.
4. Components of a Position
Under the current rules, a ‘‘reportable
position is the sum of the net trading
positions, gross financing positions, and
net fails positions in a specified issue of
Treasury securities collectively
controlled by a reporting entity.’’ 14
Specific components of these positions
are identified at § 420.2.15 All position
amounts are currently required to be
reported on a trade date basis at par
value.
5. Recordkeeping
The recordkeeping requirements
provide that any reporting entity
controlling at least $2 billion of a
particular Treasury security must
maintain and preserve certain records
that enable it to compile, aggregate, and
report large position information.16
B. Calls for Large Position Reports
Treasury has conducted 14 calls since
the LPR rules became effective in
1996.17 We are proposing certain
amendments to the rules based on the
experience gained from these calls.
III. Proposed Amendments to the Large
Position Reporting Rules
A. Balancing of Regulatory and Market
Needs
Treasury has attempted to strike a
balance between achieving the purposes
and objectives of the GSA’s LPR
13 17
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8 17
CFR 420.1(b).
9 17 CFR 420.1(c).
10 61 FR 48338 (September 12, 1996).
11 67 FR 77412 (December 18, 2002).
12 The notice is in the form of a Treasury press
release that is posted to the Treasury and
TreasuryDirect Web sites, subsequently published
in the Federal Register, and also disseminated via
social media, major news and financial
publications, and wire services. An electronic
mailing list that distributes the notice to subscribers
is also available at www.treasurydirect.gov.
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CFR 420.2(b).
CFR 420.2(h).
15 See 17 CFR 420.2 for definitions of gross
financing position, net fails position, and net
trading position.
16 17 CFR 420.4.
17 So that market participants remain
knowledgeable about the LPR rules, specifically
how to calculate and report a reportable position,
Treasury ‘‘tests’’ the reporting system by requesting
Reports annually, regardless of market conditions
for a particular security. See 60 FR 65223
(December 18, 1995).
14 17
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33147
requirements and minimizing costs and
burdens on reporting entities. We
believe that the amendments being
proposed continue to achieve this
balance by improving the type of
information collected through the
Reports while simplifying the reporting
process for many reporting entities.
Treasury staff has also consulted staff
of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, and the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York in
developing this proposal.
B. Section 420.1—Applicability
Treasury’s LPR rules currently
provide an exemption for foreign central
banks, foreign governments, and
international monetary authorities
(collectively ‘‘foreign official
organizations’’). U.S. Federal Reserve
Banks are also exempt for the portion of
any reportable position they control for
their own account. Foreign official
organizations were exempted from the
LPR rules issued in 1996 because they
did not typically control large positions
in Treasury securities and subjecting
them to the reporting requirement
would have presented legal and
jurisdictional issues.18 Since that time,
foreign official organizations have
significantly increased their
participation in the Treasury securities
market and have an interest in a liquid
and well-functioning Treasury securities
market.
Treasury is therefore proposing to
eliminate these exemptions and request
that all foreign official organizations as
well as U.S. Federal Reserve Banks for
their own accounts voluntarily submit
Reports if they meet or exceed the
reporting threshold(s). Treasury believes
that the voluntary submission of Reports
by these entities is consistent with the
purposes of the GSA and will help
Treasury to better understand supply
and demand dynamics in the Treasury
securities market. This in turn will
benefit these entities by helping the
Treasury securities market to remain
liquid and efficient. As is the case with
all Reports, these voluntary Reports
would be submitted only in response to
a call for large position reports. Treasury
requests for Reports are infrequent.19
C. Section 420.2—Definitions
1. Large Position Threshold
The current definition of ‘‘large
position threshold’’ 20 contains
references to the term ‘‘reportable
position.’’ The proposed amendments to
18 61
FR 48342 (September 12, 1996).
note 17, supra.
20 17 CFR 420.2(d).
19 See
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the LPR rules no longer include the
concept of a reportable position, and
therefore, Treasury is proposing to
delete references to the term ‘‘reportable
position’’ in the definition of ‘‘large
position threshold.’’
The current definition of ‘‘large
position threshold’’ also establishes a
minimum reporting threshold of $2
billion. The GSA requires that the LPR
rules specify ‘‘the minimum size of
positions subject to reporting under this
subsection, which shall be no less than
the size that provides the potential for
manipulation or control of the supply or
price, or the cost of financing
arrangements, of an issue or the portion
thereof that is available for trading.’’ 21
Treasury is proposing to replace the
current $2 billion minimum reporting
threshold with a minimum threshold
that is 10 percent of the outstanding
amount of the specified Treasury
security. Given the large range of issue
sizes among various Treasury securities,
making the minimum reporting
threshold a percentage of the amount of
the security outstanding may be a better
indicator of concentrations of control. A
percentage threshold will potentially
allow for a threshold that is less than
the current $2 billion minimum. We
will state the dollar amount of the
reporting threshold(s) in the notice and
press release announcing a call for
Reports. Treasury is not proposing,
however, to amend the $2 billion
threshold that triggers the LPR
recordkeeping requirement.22
2. Reporting Requirement
Under the current LPR rules, an entity
must submit a Report if its reportable
position meets or exceeds the large
position threshold. The reportable
position is the sum of the net trading,
gross financing, and net fails positions.
This calculation could result in a
reportable position that falls below the
large position threshold if an entity’s net
trading position is a large negative
number.
Treasury proposes replacing the
concept of the reportable position with
a reporting requirement that entities
must file a Report if any one of seven
criteria is met.23 For certain reporting
criteria Treasury may announce
different thresholds. For example,
Treasury may have a different threshold
for settlement fails than for other
reporting criteria. Applying the large
position threshold(s) to several different
criteria may provide greater insight into
21 See
note 2, supra.
CFR 420.4(a)(1).
23 See Appendix B to the proposed rule, ‘‘Sample
Large Position Report,’’ for the proposed criteria.
22 17
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gross exposures large enough to
potentially impact the liquidity of the
security, regardless of how the position
was acquired. However, under no
circumstances will a large position
threshold be less than 10 percent of the
amount outstanding of the specified
Treasury security.
3. Tri-Party Repurchase Agreement
Shells
The proposed amendments introduce
the term ‘‘tri-party repurchase
agreement shell.’’ A tri-party repurchase
agreement (repo) shell is an account
created on the books of a tri-party repo
agent bank following confirmation of a
tri-party repo transaction between a
cash lender and a collateral provider.
Each shell has a unique account number
and an eligibility rule set based on an
agreement between the cash lender and
the collateral provider. The rule set
defines the type of securities that are
eligible for the shell as well as
associated haircuts. Collateral is
allocated and held for the duration of
the transaction in the tri-party repo
shell. The shell must be fully
collateralized at all times and collateral
providers may remove collateral from
the shell only if shell-eligible collateral
of equal value is allocated into the shell
in its place.
D. Changes to the Large Position Report
1. Reporting Format
The current LPR rules require entities
to calculate their total reportable
position as of the close of business on
the report date. Treasury is proposing a
revised format for an entity to report its
positions and settlement obligations in
the specified Treasury security,
including: (1) Positions at the opening
of the Federal Reserve System’s
Fedwire® Securities Service
(Fedwire),24 (2) settlement obligations
created prior to and on the report date,
and (3) positions at the close of Fedwire.
The proposed reporting format would
provide Treasury a better understanding
of reporting entities’ positions in the
specified Treasury security leading up
to the report date, their settlement
obligations created prior to or on the
report date, and their positions at the
end of the report date.
2. Gross Reporting
Under the current rules, reporting
entities are required to net obligations to
receive and deliver in the net trading
24 The Federal Reserve System’s Fedwire
Securities Service is a book-entry securities transfer
system that provides safekeeping, transfer, and
delivery-versus-payment settlement services. The
Fedwire Securities Service operates daily from 8:30
a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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and net fails positions. For transactions
between different reporting entities,
Treasury is proposing using a twocolumn format for positions to be
reported on a gross basis in order to
separate settlement ‘‘obligations to
receive’’ and ‘‘obligations to deliver.’’
For example, settlement fails resulting
from an obligation to receive would be
reported separately from settlement fails
resulting from an obligation to deliver.
This format would potentially make it
easier for Treasury to understand a
reporting entity’s trading activity,
including what positions it might
control in the future. This approach may
also be easier for many reporting entities
to understand because it may align more
closely with the way they typically
maintain their records.
To avoid multiple counting,
aggregating entities that are part of the
same reporting entity would be required
to net receive and deliver obligations
resulting from intercompany
transactions.
3. Futures and Options Contracts
Currently, the LPR rules only require
the reporting of positions in futures
contracts that require the delivery of the
specified Treasury security. We are
proposing to expand the components of
a position to also include futures,
options on futures, and options
contracts for which the specified
Treasury security is deliverable. The
components would include contracts
that require delivery of the specified
Treasury security as well as contracts
that allow for the delivery of several
securities.
4. Components of a Position
As part of an ongoing effort to
improve the information Treasury
receives in response to a call for
Reports, we routinely discuss ways to
improve the LPR rules with market
participants. Feedback from these
discussions suggests that the current
rules and formula could be modified to
more closely align with the way
reporting entities typically maintain
their records and also may provide more
meaningful information for Treasury.
Accordingly, we are proposing to
replace the current components of a
total reportable position with the
following report components:
a. Positions in the Security Being
Reported at the Opening of Fedwire on
the Report Date, including positions:
i. In accounts of the reporting entity;
ii. In tri-party repurchase agreement
shells;
iii. As collateral or margin against
financial derivatives and other
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contractual obligations of the reporting
entity; and
iv. Controlled by any other means.
b. Settlement Obligations Attributable
to Purchase and Sale Contracts
Negotiated Prior to and on the Report
Date (excluding settlement fails),
including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being
reported attributable to contracts for
cash settlement (T+0);
ii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being
reported attributable to contracts for
regular settlement (T+1);
iii. Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to forward
contracts, including when-issued
contracts, for forward settlement (T+n,
n>1);
iv. Obligations to receive, on the
report date, the security being reported
attributable to Treasury auction awards;
and
v. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, principal STRIPS 25
derived from the security being reported
attributable to contracts for cash
settlement, regular settlement, whenissued contracts, and forward contracts.
c. Settlement Obligations Attributable
to Delivery-versus-Payment Financing
Contracts (including repurchase
agreements and securities lending
agreements) Negotiated Prior to and on
the Report Date (excluding settlement
fails), including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to overnight agreements;
ii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to term agreements opened
on, or due to close on, the report date;
iii. Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to open agreements opened
on, or due to close on, the report date.
d. Settlement Fails from Days Prior to
the Report Date (Legacy Obligations),
including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported, arising
25 STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered Interest
and Principal of Securities) means Treasury’s
program under which eligible securities are
authorized to be separated into principal and
interest components, and transferred separately. See
31 CFR 356.2.
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out of settlement fails on days prior to
the report date.
e. Settlement Fails as of the Close of
Fedwire on the Report Date, including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on
the business day following the report
date, the security being reported, and
principal STRIPS derived from the
security being reported, arising out of
settlement fails on the report date.
f. Positions in the Security Being
Reported at the Close of Fedwire on the
Report Date, including positions:
i. In accounts of the reporting entity;
ii. In tri-party repurchase agreement
shells;
iii. As collateral or margin against
financial derivatives and other
contractual obligations of the reporting
entity; and
iv. Controlled by any other means.
g. Quantity of Continuing Deliveryversus-Payment Financing Contracts for
the Security Being Reported, including
the:
i. Net amount of security being
reported lent out on term repurchase
agreements that were opened before the
report date and that were not due to
close until after the report date, and on
open repurchase agreements that were
opened before the report date and that
were not closed on the report date.
h. Futures and Options Contracts,
including the:
i. Net long position, immediately
prior to the opening of futures and
options trading on the report date, in
futures, options on futures, and options
contracts on which the security being
reported is deliverable; and
ii. Net long position, immediately
following the close of futures and
options trading on the report date, in
futures, options on futures, and options
contracts on which the security being
reported is deliverable.
All amounts should be reported as
positive numbers and at par in millions
of dollars.
5. Optional Administrative Information
Treasury is providing an option for
reporting entities to identify the type(s)
of business engaged in by the reporting
entity and its aggregating entities with
respect to positions in the specified
Treasury security by checking the
appropriate box. The types of businesses
listed in the proposed Report are: Broker
or dealer, government securities broker
or dealer, municipal securities broker or
dealer, futures commission merchant,
bank holding company, non-bank
holding company, bank, investment
adviser, commodity pool operator,
pension trustee, non-pension trustee,
and insurance company. Reporting
entities could identify as many business
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33149
types as applicable. If the reporting
entity is engaged in a business that is
not listed, it could select ‘‘other’’ and
provide a description of its business
with regard to the specified Treasury
security. Knowing the type(s) of
business in which the reporting entity is
engaged would help Treasury better
understand the Treasury security
positions included in the entity’s
Report.
Treasury is also providing an option
for reporting entities to identify their
overall investment strategy with respect
to positions in the specified Treasury
security by checking the appropriate
box. Active investment strategies would
include those that involve purchasing,
selling, borrowing, lending, and
financing positions in the security prior
to maturity. Passive investment
strategies would include those that
involve holding the security until
maturity. A combination of active and
passive strategies would involve
applying the aforementioned active and
passive strategies to all or a portion of
a reporting entity’s positions in the
security.
E. Consolidated Guidance
The current LPR rules specify the
positions that entities are required to
report, however, additional guidance on
the treatment of specific transactions is
contained in the preambles to the
previous proposed and final rules and a
list of Frequently Asked Questions and
Answers available on the TreasuryDirect
Web site. The proposed amendments
consolidate certain guidance in the rules
themselves, which may help to simplify
the reporting process and make the
reporting requirements clearer.
F. Request for Comment
Treasury welcomes comments on all
of these proposed amendments, in
particular whether: (1) The proposed
amendments would accomplish the goal
of providing Treasury with more useful
information regarding supply and
demand dynamics in certain Treasury
securities; (2) the effect, if any, the
proposed amendments would have on
reporting entities in calculating their
positions; (3) based on the proposed
amendments, the current three and a
half business day reporting timeframe
would be sufficient to allow reporting
entities to complete the proposed
Report; (4) establishing a minimum LPR
threshold that is 10 percent of the
outstanding amount of the specified
Treasury security is appropriate; (5)
announcing different thresholds for
certain reporting criteria is appropriate;
(6) the proposed treatment of fails is
appropriate; (7) including options in the
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positions that are required to be
reported is appropriate or whether there
are other amounts or positions that
would be meaningful to include; (8)
other business types of reporting entities
should be identified on the report; and
(9) $2 billion is the appropriate
threshold that triggers the LPR
recordkeeping requirement. We invite
comments on the effect of these
proposed amendments, including any
operational or system modifications that
may be needed. We also welcome
comments on any other aspects of the
proposed amendments and how to
improve the LPR rules.
IV. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(Act) requires that collections of
information prescribed in the proposed
amendments to the LPR rules be
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and
approval.26 In accordance with that
requirement, Treasury has submitted the
collection of information contained in
this notice of proposed rulemaking for
review. Under the Act, an agency may
not conduct or sponsor, and a person is
not required to respond to, a collection
of information unless it displays a valid
OMB control number. Comments on the
collection of information may be
submitted electronically to
oira.submission@omb.eop.gov, or may
be mailed to the Office of Information
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, Attention:
Desk Officer for Department of the
Treasury, Washington, DC 20503; and to
the Government Securities Regulations
Staff, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, at the
address specified at the beginning of
this document.
The collection of information in the
proposed amendments is contained in
proposed § 420.3. The proposed
amendments require a reporting entity
that meets any one of seven criteria to
submit a Report to FRBNY. Although we
cannot be certain of the number of
entities that would be required to report
their positions as a result of a call for
such Reports, we believe few reporting
entities would actually have to file
Reports because the minimum reporting
threshold remains high. In fact, the
actual reporting threshold(s) in a
specific call for large position reports
may exceed the minimum reporting
threshold. Moreover, we expect that our
requests for information will continue to
be infrequent.
Treasury does not believe that
reporting entities would find reporting
the additional opening position
26 44
U.S.C. 3507(d).
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information and separately reporting
gross obligations to deliver and receive
overly burdensome because this
approach may align more closely with
the way many reporting entities
typically maintain their records. In
addition, reporting entities must collect
much of this information to calculate
their reportable position under the
current LPR rules. Because the proposed
amendments would require more
detailed information to be provided by
entities that file reports, we are
increasing the annual reporting burden
in our submission to OMB by 104 hours,
representing an increase from eight
hours to ten hours per reporting entity
and an increase from 12 to 20 reporting
entities.
The collection of information is
intended to enable the Treasury and
other regulators to better understand
supply and demand dynamics in certain
Treasury securities. This information
would help the Treasury securities
market remain liquid and efficient and
facilitate government borrowing at the
lowest possible cost to taxpayers.
Treasury invites further comments on:
(1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of Treasury’s functions,
including whether the information has
practical utility; (2) the accuracy of
Treasury’s estimate of the burden; (3)
enhancement of the quality, utility, and
clarity of information to be collected;
and (4) minimizing the information
collection burden on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Estimated total annual reporting
burden: 200 hours.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 20.
Estimated annual frequency of
response: 1.
V. Special Analysis
Executive Orders 13563 and 12866
direct agencies to assess costs and
benefits of available regulatory
alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributive impacts, and
equity). Executive Order 13563
emphasizes the importance of
quantifying both costs and benefits, of
reducing costs, of harmonizing rules,
and of promoting flexibility.
The proposed amendments reflect
Treasury’s continuing interest in
meeting its informational needs while
minimizing the cost and burden on
those entities affected by the
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regulations. The proposed amendments
retain the on-demand reporting system,
adopted in 1996, which is less
burdensome than a regular reporting
system. Based on the limited impact of
the proposed amendments, it is our
view that the proposed regulations are
not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ for
the purposes of Executive Order 12866.
In addition, we certify under the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601,
et seq.) that the proposed amendments
to the current regulations would not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
We believe that small entities will not
control positions of 10 percent or greater
in any particular Treasury security. The
inapplicability of the proposed
amendments to small entities indicates
there is no significant impact. As a
result, a regulatory flexibility analysis is
not required.
List of Subjects in 17 CFR Part 420
Banks, banking, Brokers, Government
securities, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, we propose that 17 CFR part
420 be revised to read as follows:
PART 420—LARGE POSITION
REPORTING
Sec.
420.1 Applicability.
420.2 Definitions.
420.3 Reporting.
420.4 Recordkeeping.
420.5 Effective date.
Appendix A to Part 420—Separate Reporting
Entity.
Appendix B to Part 420—Sample Large
Position Report.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 78o–5(f).
§ 420.1
Applicability.
(a) This part is applicable to all
persons that participate in the
government securities market,
including, but not limited to:
Government securities brokers and
dealers, depository institutions that
exercise investment discretion,
registered investment companies,
registered investment advisers, pension
funds, hedge funds, and insurance
companies that may control a position
in a recently-issued marketable Treasury
bill, note, or bond as those terms are
defined in § 420.2.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of
this section, Treasury requests that
central banks (including U.S. Federal
Reserve Banks for their own account),
foreign governments, and international
monetary authorities voluntarily submit
large position reports when they meet or
exceed the reporting threshold(s).
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§ 420.2
Definitions.
For the purposes of this part:
Aggregating entity means a single
entity (e.g., a parent company, affiliate,
or organizational component) that is
combined with other entities, as
specified in the definition of ‘‘reporting
entity’’ of this section, to form a
reporting entity. In those cases where an
entity has no affiliates, the aggregating
entity is the same as the reporting
entity.
Control means having the authority to
exercise investment discretion over the
purchase, sale, retention, or financing of
specific Treasury securities. Only one
entity should be considered to have
investment discretion over a particular
position.
Large position threshold means the
minimum dollar par amount of the
specified Treasury security that a
reporting entity must control in order
for the entity to be required to submit
a large position report. Treasury will
announce the large position
threshold(s), which may vary with each
notice of request to report large position
information and with each specified
Treasury security. Treasury may
announce different thresholds for
certain reporting criteria. Under no
circumstances will a large position
threshold be less than 10 percent of the
amount outstanding of the specified
Treasury security.
Recently-issued means:
(1) With respect to Treasury securities
that are issued quarterly or more
frequently, the three most recent issues
of the security.
(2) With respect to Treasury securities
that are issued less frequently than
quarterly, the two most recent issues of
the security.
(3) With respect to a reopened
security, the entire issue of a reopened
security (older and newer portions)
based on the date the new portion of the
reopened security is issued by Treasury
(or for when-issued securities, the
scheduled issue date).
(4) For all Treasury securities, a
security announced to be issued or
auctioned but unissued (when-issued),
starting from the date of the issuance
announcement. The most recent issue of
the security is the one most recently
announced.
(5) Treasury security issues other than
those specified in paragraphs (1) and (2)
of this definition, provided that such
large position information is necessary
and appropriate for monitoring the
impact of concentrations of positions in
Treasury securities.
Reporting entity means any
corporation, partnership, person, or
other entity and its affiliates, as further
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provided herein. For the purposes of
this definition, an affiliate is any: Entity
that is more than 50% owned, directly
or indirectly, by the aggregating entity
or by any other affiliate of the
aggregating entity; person or entity that
owns, directly or indirectly, more than
50% of the aggregating entity; person or
entity that owns, directly or indirectly,
more than 50% of any other affiliate of
the aggregating entity; or entity, a
majority of whose board of directors or
a majority of whose general partners are
directors or officers of the aggregating
entity or any affiliate of the aggregating
entity.
(1) Subject to the conditions
prescribed in appendix A to this part,
one aggregating entity, or a combination
of aggregating entities, may be
recognized as a separate reporting
entity.
(2) Notwithstanding this definition,
any persons or entities that intentionally
act together with respect to the investing
in, retention of, or financing of Treasury
securities are considered, collectively,
to be one reporting entity.
Reporting requirement means that an
entity must file a large position report
when it meets any one of seven criteria
contained in appendix B to this part.
Tri-party repurchase agreement (repo)
shell means an account created on the
books of a tri-party repo agent bank
following confirmation of a tri-party
repo transaction between a cash lender
and a collateral provider. Each shell has
a unique account number and an
eligibility rule set based on an
agreement between the cash lender and
the collateral provider. The rule set
defines the type of securities that are
eligible for the shell as well as
associated haircuts. Collateral is
allocated and held for the duration of
the transaction in the tri-party repo
shell. The shell must be fully
collateralized at all times and collateral
providers may remove collateral from
the shell only if shell-eligible collateral
of equal value is allocated into the shell
in its place.
§ 420.3
Reporting.
(a) A reporting entity must file a large
position report if it meets the reporting
requirement as defined in § 420.2 of this
part. Treasury will provide notice of the
large position threshold(s) by issuing a
press release and subsequently
publishing the notice in the Federal
Register. Such notice will identify the
Treasury security issue to be reported
(including, where applicable,
identifying the related STRIPS principal
component); the date or dates for which
the large position information must be
reported; and the applicable large
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33151
position threshold(s) for that issue. A
reporting entity is responsible for taking
reasonable actions to be aware of such
a notice.
(b) A reporting entity shall select one
entity from among its aggregating
entities (i.e., the designated filing entity)
as the entity designated to compile and
file a report on behalf of the reporting
entity. The designated filing entity shall
be responsible for filing any large
position reports in response to a notice
issued by Treasury and for maintaining
the additional records prescribed in
§ 420.4.
(c)(1) In response to a notice issued
under paragraph (a) of this section
requesting large position information, a
reporting entity that controls an amount
of the specified Treasury security that
equals or exceeds one of the specified
large position thresholds stated in the
notice shall compile and report the
amounts of the reporting entity’s
positions in the order specified, as
follows:
(i) Part I. Positions in the Security
Being Reported at the Opening of
Fedwire® on the Report Date, including
positions:
(A) In accounts of the reporting entity;
(B) In tri-party repurchase agreement
shells;
(C) As collateral or margin against
financial derivatives and other
contractual obligations of the reporting
entity; and
(D) Controlled by any other means.
(ii) Part II. Settlement Obligations
Attributable to Purchase and Sale
Contracts Negotiated Prior to and on the
Report Date (excluding settlement fails),
including:
(A) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to contracts for
cash settlement (T+0);
(B) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to contracts for
regular settlement (T+1);
(C) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to forward
contracts, including when-issued
contracts, for forward settlement (T+n,
n>1);
(D) Obligations to receive, on the
report date, the security being reported
attributable to Treasury auction awards;
and
(E) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, principal STRIPS
derived from the security being reported
attributable to contracts for cash
settlement, regular settlement, whenissued contracts, and forward contracts.
(iii) Part III. Settlement Obligations
Attributable to Delivery-versus-Payment
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Financing Contracts (including
repurchase agreements and securities
lending agreements) Negotiated Prior to
and on the Report Date (excluding
settlement fails), including:
(A) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to overnight agreements;
(B) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to term agreements opened
on, or due to close on, the report date;
and
(C) Obligations to receive or deliver,
on the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported,
attributable to open agreements opened
on, or due to close on, the report date.
(iv) Part IV. Settlement Fails from
Days Prior to the Report Date (Legacy
Obligations), including obligations to
receive or deliver, on the report date,
the security being reported, and
principal STRIPS derived from the
security being reported, arising out of
settlement fails on days prior to the
report date.
(v) Part V. Settlement Fails as of the
Close of Fedwire on the Report Date,
including obligations to receive or
deliver, on the business day following
the report date, the security being
reported, and principal STRIPS derived
from the security being reported, arising
out of settlement fails on the report date.
(vi) Part VI. Positions in the Security
Being Reported at the Close of Fedwire
on the Report Date, including:
(A) In accounts of the reporting entity;
(B) In tri-party repurchase agreement
shells;
(C) As collateral or margin against
financial derivatives and other
contractual obligations of the reporting
entity; and
(D) Controlled by any other means.
(vii) Part VII. Quantity of Continuing
Delivery-versus-Payment Financing
Contracts for the Security Being
Reported, including net amount of
security being reported lent out on term
repurchase agreements that were
opened before the report date and that
were not due to close until after the
report date, and on open repurchase
agreements that were opened before the
report date and that were not closed on
the report date.
(viii) Part VIII. Futures and Options
Contracts, including:
(A) Net long position, immediately
prior to the opening of futures and
options trading on the report date, in
futures, options on futures, and options
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contracts on which the security being
reported is deliverable; and
(B) Net long position, immediately
following the close of futures and
options trading on the report date, in
futures, options on futures, and options
contracts on which the security being
reported is deliverable.
(2) An illustration of a sample report
is contained in Appendix B.
(3) Each of the components of Part I–
Part VIII shall be reported as a positive
number or zero. All reportable amounts
should be reported in the order
specified above and at par in millions of
dollars.
(4) Each submitted large position
report must include the following
administrative information: Name of the
reporting entity; address of the principal
place of business; name and address of
the designated filing entity; the Treasury
security that is being reported; the
CUSIP number for the security being
reported; the report date or dates for
which information is being reported; the
date the report was submitted; name
and telephone number of the person to
contact regarding information reported;
and name and position of the authorized
individual submitting this report.
Reporting entities have the option to
identify the type(s) of business engaged
in by the reporting entity and its
aggregating entities with positions in the
specified Treasury security by checking
the appropriate box. The types of
businesses include: Broker or dealer,
government securities broker or dealer,
municipal securities broker or dealer,
futures commission merchant, bank
holding company, non-bank holding
company, bank, investment adviser,
commodity pool operator, pension
trustee, non-pension trustee, and
insurance company. Reporting entities
may select as many business types as
applicable. If the reporting entity is
engaged in a business that is not listed,
it could select ‘‘other’’ and provide a
description of its business with respect
to positions in the specified Treasury
security.
Reporting entities also have the
option to identify their overall
investment strategy with respect to
positions in the specified Treasury
security by checking the appropriate
box. Active investment strategies
include those that involve purchasing,
selling, borrowing, lending, and
financing positions in the security prior
to maturity. Passive investment
strategies include those that involve
holding the security until maturity. A
combination of active and passive
strategies would involve applying the
aforementioned active and passive
strategies to all or a portion of a
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reporting entity’s positions in the
specified Treasury security. Reporting
entities may select the most applicable
investment strategy.
(5) The large position report must be
signed by one of the following: The
chief compliance officer; chief legal
officer; chief financial officer; chief
operating officer; chief executive officer;
or managing partner or equivalent. The
designated filing entity must also
include in the report, immediately
preceding the signature, a statement of
certification as follows:
By signing below, I certify that the
information contained in this report with
regard to the designated filing entity is
accurate and complete. Further, after
reasonable inquiry and to the best of my
knowledge and belief, I certify that: (i) the
information contained in this report with
regard to any other aggregating entities is
accurate and complete; and (ii) the reporting
entity, including all aggregating entities, is in
compliance with the requirements of 17 CFR
part 420.
(6) The report must be filed before
noon Eastern time on the fourth
business day following issuance of the
press release.
(d) A report to be filed pursuant to
paragraph (c) of this section will be
considered filed when received by the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The
report may be filed by facsimile or
delivered hard copy. The Federal
Reserve Bank of New York may in its
discretion also authorize additional
means of reporting.
(e) A reporting entity that has filed a
report pursuant to paragraph (c) of this
section shall, at the request of Treasury
or the Federal Reserve Bank of New
York, timely provide any supplemental
information pertaining to such report.
(Approved by the Office of Management
and Budget under control number 1535–
0089)
§ 420.4
Recordkeeping.
(a) Recordkeeping responsibility of
aggregating entities. Notwithstanding
the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c)
of this section, an aggregating entity that
controls a portion of its reporting
entity’s position in a recently-issued
Treasury security, when such position
of the reporting entity equals or exceeds
$2 billion, shall be responsible for
making and maintaining the records
prescribed in this section.
(b) Records to be made and preserved
by entities that are subject to the
recordkeeping provisions of the SEC,
Treasury, or the appropriate regulatory
agencies for financial institutions. As an
aggregating entity, compliance by a
registered broker or dealer, registered
government securities broker or dealer,
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noticed financial institution, depository
institution that exercises investment
discretion, registered investment
adviser, or registered investment
company with the applicable
recordkeeping provisions of the SEC,
Treasury, or the appropriate regulatory
agencies for financial institutions shall
constitute compliance with this section,
provided that, if such entity is also the
designated filing entity, it:
(1) Makes and keeps copies of all large
position reports filed pursuant to this
part;
(2) Makes and keeps supporting
documents or schedules used to
compute data for the large position
reports filed pursuant to this part,
including any certifications or
schedules it receives from aggregating
entities pertaining to their holdings of
the reporting entity’s position;
(3) Makes and keeps a chart showing
the organizational entities that are
aggregated (if applicable) in determining
the reporting entity’s position; and
(4) With respect to recordkeeping
preservation requirements that contain
more than one retention period,
preserves records required by
paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this
section for the longest record retention
period of applicable recordkeeping
provisions.
(c) Records to be made and preserved
by other entities. (1) An aggregating
entity that is not subject to the
provisions of paragraph (b) of this
section shall make and preserve a
journal, blotter, or other record of
original entry containing an itemized
record of all transactions that contribute
to a reporting entity’s position,
including information showing the
account for which such transactions
were effected and the following
information pertaining to the
identification of each instrument: The
type of security, the par amount, the
CUSIP number, the trade date, the
maturity date, the type of transaction
(e.g., a reverse repurchase agreement),
and the name or other designation of the
person from whom sold or purchased.
(2) If such aggregating entity is also
the designated filing entity, then in
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addition it shall make and preserve the
following records:
(i) Copies of all large position reports
filed pursuant to this part;
(ii) Supporting documents or
schedules used to compute data for the
large position reports filed pursuant to
this part, including any certifications or
schedules it receives from aggregating
entities pertaining to their holdings of
the reporting entity’s position; and
(iii) A chart showing the
organizational entities that are
aggregated (if applicable) in determining
the reporting entity’s position.
(3) With respect to the records
required by paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of
this section, each such aggregating
entity shall preserve such records for a
period of not less than six years, the first
two years in an easily accessible place.
If an aggregating entity maintains its
records at a location other than its
principal place of business, the
aggregating entity must maintain an
index that states the location of the
records, and such index must be easily
accessible at all times.
(Approved by the Office of Management
and Budget under control number 1535–
0089)
§ 420.5
Applicability date.
The provisions of this part shall be
first applicable beginning March 31,
1997.
Appendix A to Part 420—Separate
Reporting Entity
Subject to the following conditions, one or
more aggregating entity(ies) (e.g., parent,
subsidiary, or organizational component) in a
reporting entity, either separately or together
with one or more other aggregating
entity(ies), may be recognized as a separate
reporting entity. All of the following
conditions must be met for such entity(ies) to
qualify for recognition as a separate reporting
entity:
(1) Such entity(ies) must be prohibited by
law or regulation from exchanging, or must
have established written internal procedures
designed to prevent the exchange of
information related to transactions in
Treasury securities with any other
aggregating entity;
(2) Such entity(ies) must not be created for
the purpose of circumventing these large
position reporting rules;
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(3) Decisions related to the purchase, sale
or retention of Treasury securities must be
made by employees of such entity(ies).
Employees of such entity(ies) who make
decisions to purchase or dispose of Treasury
securities must not perform the same
function for other aggregating entities; and
(4) The records of such entity(ies) related
to the ownership, financing, purchase and
sale of Treasury securities must be
maintained by such entity(ies). Those records
must be identifiable—separate and apart from
similar records for other aggregating entities.
To obtain recognition as a separate
reporting entity, each aggregating entity or
group of aggregating entities must request
such recognition from Treasury pursuant to
the procedures outlined in § 400.2(c) of this
chapter. Such request must provide a
description of the entity or group and its
position within the reporting entity, and
provide the following certification:
[Name of the entity(ies)] hereby certifies
that to the best of its knowledge and belief
it meets the conditions for a separate
reporting entity as described in Appendix A
to 17 CFR Part 420. The above named entity
also certifies that it has established written
policies or procedures, including ongoing
compliance monitoring processes, that are
designed to prevent the entity or group of
entities from:
(1) Exchanging any of the following
information with any other aggregating entity
(a) positions that it holds or plans to trade
in a Treasury security; (b) investment
strategies that it plans to follow regarding
Treasury securities; and (c) financing
strategies that it plans to follow regarding
Treasury securities, or
(2) In any way intentionally acting together
with any other aggregating entity with
respect to the purchase, sale, retention or
financing of Treasury securities.
The above-named entity agrees that it will
promptly notify Treasury in writing when
any of the information provided to obtain
separate reporting entity status changes or
when this certification is no longer valid.
Any entity, including any organizational
component thereof, that previously has
received recognition as a separate bidder in
Treasury auctions from Treasury pursuant to
31 CFR part 356 is also recognized as a
separate reporting entity without the need to
request such status, provided such entity
continues to be in compliance with the
conditions set forth in appendix A to 31 CFR
part 356.
BILLING CODE 4810–39–P
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33158
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 111 / Tuesday, June 10, 2014 / Proposed Rules
Matthew S. Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets.
Regional Office’s normal hours of
operation. The Regional Office’s official
hours of business are Monday through
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding
Federal holidays.
Please see the direct final rule which
is located in the Rules section of this
Federal Register for detailed
instructions on how to submit
comments.
[FR Doc. 2014–13482 Filed 6–9–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–39–C
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R04–OAR–2014–0311; FRL–9911–89Region-4]
Approval and Promulgation of
Implementation Plans Alabama:
Volatile Organic Compounds
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a
revision to the Alabama State
Implementation Plan submitted by the
Alabama Department of Environmental
Management (ADEM) on September 3,
2013. The revision would modify the
definition of ‘‘volatile organic
compounds’’ (VOCs). Specifically, the
revision adds four
hydrofluoropolyethers compounds to
the list of those excluded from the VOC
definition on the basis that these
compounds make a negligible
contribution to tropospheric ozone
formation. ADEM is seeking to update
its SIP to be consistent with the federal
rule finalized by EPA on February 12,
2013, which excludes these compounds
from the regulatory definition of VOC.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before July 10, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R04–
OAR–2014–0311, by one of the
following methods:
1. www.regulations.gov: Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
2. Email: R4–RDS@epa.gov.
3. Fax: (404) 562–9019.
4. Mail: EPA–R04–OAR–2014–0311,
Regulatory Development Section, Air
Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and
Toxics Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960.
5. Hand Delivery or Courier: Ms.
Lynorae Benjamin, Chief, Regulatory
Development Section, Air Planning
Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics
Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960. Such
deliveries are only accepted during the
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
SUMMARY:
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Mr.
Richard Wong, Regulatory Development
Section, Air Planning Branch, Air,
Pesticides and Toxics Management
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street
SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960. Mr.
Wong may be reached at (404) 562–
8726, or wong.richard@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For
additional information see the direct
final rule which is published in the
Rules Section of this Federal Register.
In the Final Rules Section of this
Federal Register, EPA is approving the
State’s implementation plan revision as
a direct final rule without prior proposal
because the Agency views this as a
noncontroversial submittal and
anticipates no adverse comments. A
detailed rationale for the approval is set
forth in the direct final rule. If EPA
receives no adverse comments in
response to this notice, no further
activity is contemplated. If EPA receives
adverse comments, EPA will withdraw
the direct final rule and will address all
public comments received in a
subsequent final rule based on this
proposed rule. EPA will not institute a
second comment period on this
document. Any parties interested in
commenting on this document should
do so at this time.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: May 28, 2014.
Heather McTeer Toney,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2014–13427 Filed 6–9–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R04–OAR–2013–0738; FRL–9911–95–
Region 4]
Approval and Promulgation of
Implementation Plans; State of
Tennessee; Knoxville; Fine Particulate
Matter 2008 Base Year Emissions
Inventory
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
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33159
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve
the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) 2008 base year emissions
inventory portion of the State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revision
submitted by the State of Tennessee
through the Tennessee Department of
Environment and Conservation on
October 18, 2013. The emissions
inventory is part of Tennessee’s October
18, 2013, attainment demonstration SIP
revision that was submitted to meet
Clean Air Act requirements related to
the Knoxville nonattainment area for the
2006 24-hour PM2.5 national ambient air
quality standards, hereafter referred to
as ‘‘the Knoxville Area’’ or ‘‘Area.’’ The
Knoxville nonattainment area is
comprised of Anderson, Blount, Knox
and Loudon Counties in their entireties
and a portion of Roane County that
includes the Tennessee Valley
Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before July 10, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R04–
OAR–2013–0738, by one of the
following methods:
1. www.regulations.gov: Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
2. Email: R4-RDS@epa.gov.
3. Fax: (404) 562–9019.
4. Mail: ‘‘EPA–R04–OAR–2013–
0738,’’ Regulatory Development Section,
Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and
Toxics Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960.
5. Hand Delivery or Courier: Lynorae
Benjamin, Chief, Regulatory
Development Section, Air Planning
Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics
Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960. Such
deliveries are only accepted during the
Regional Office’s normal hours of
operation. The Regional Office’s official
hours of business are Monday through
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding
federal holidays.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. EPA–R04–OAR–2013–
0738. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change and may be
made available online at
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
SUMMARY:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33145-33159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13482]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
17 CFR Part 420
[Docket No. Treas-DO-2014-0002]
Government Securities Act Regulations: Large Position Reporting
Rules
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets,
Treasury.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) is issuing this
notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit public comment on proposed
amendments to Treasury's rules for reporting large positions in certain
Treasury securities. The large position reporting rules are issued
under the Government Securities Act (GSA) for the purposes of
monitoring the impact in the Treasury securities market of
concentrations of positions in Treasury securities and otherwise
assisting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in enforcing the
GSA. In addition, the large position reports provide Treasury with
information to better understand supply and demand dynamics in certain
Treasury securities. The proposed amendments are designed to improve
the information available to Treasury and simplify the reporting
process for many entities subject to the large position reporting
rules.
DATES: Submit comments on or before August 9, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.regulations.gov) and follow
the instructions for submitting comments through the Web site. You may
download this proposed rule from www.regulations.gov or
www.treasurydirect.gov.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments to Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the
Fiscal Service, Government Securities Regulations Staff, 401 14th
Street SW., Washington, DC 20227.
[[Page 33146]]
Please submit your comments using only one method, along with your
full name and mailing address. We will post all comments to
www.regulations.gov and on the TreasuryDirect Web site at
www.treasurydirect.gov. The proposed rule and comments will also be
available for public inspection and copying at the Treasury Department
Library, Treasury Annex Room 1020, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20220. To visit the library, call (202) 622-0990 for an
appointment. In general, comments received, including attachments and
other supporting materials, are part of the public record and are
available to the public. Do not submit any information in your comments
or supporting materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate
for public disclosure.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Santamorena, Executive Director,
or Kevin Hawkins, Government Securities Advisor, Department of the
Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Government Securities
Regulations Staff, (202) 504-3632 or email us at
govsecreg@fiscal.treasury.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Treasury is proposing amendments to the
large position reporting (LPR) rules to improve the information
reported so that Treasury can better understand supply and demand
dynamics in certain Treasury securities. Specifically, the proposed
amendments would: (1) Request that central banks (including U.S.
Federal Reserve Banks for their own account), foreign governments, and
international monetary authorities voluntarily submit large position
reports (Reports) when they meet or exceed the reporting threshold(s);
(2) replace the current $2 billion minimum reporting threshold with a
percentage standard; (3) replace the concept of the ``reportable
position'' with a requirement that defined reporting entities \1\ must
file a Report if any one of seven criteria is met; (4) revise the
format for the reporting of positions in the specified Treasury
security and establish a two-column format for the reporting of gross
``obligations to receive'' and gross ``obligations to deliver;'' (5)
expand the components of a position to include futures, options on
futures, and options; (6) provide an option for reporting entities to
identify the type(s) of business engaged in by the reporting entity and
any of its aggregating entities with positions in the specified
Treasury security, and to identify their overall investment strategy
with respect to positions in the specified Treasury security; and (7)
consolidate relevant guidance in the LPR rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 17 CFR 420.2(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The proposed amendments to the LPR rules reflect Treasury's
continuing need to obtain relevant information from reporting entities
while minimizing the cost and burden on those entities. We believe
these amendments are consistent with the findings of Congress that
``(1) the liquid and efficient operation of the government securities
market is essential to facilitate government borrowing at the lowest
possible cost to taxpayers; and (2) the fair and honest treatment of
investors will strengthen the integrity and liquidity of the government
securities market.'' \2\ In this proposed rule, we first provide
background on the current LPR rules and then describe the proposed
amendments to those rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Public Law 103-202, 107 Stat. 2344 (1993) [15 U.S.C. 78o-
5(f)].
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents
I. Background
A. Statutory Authority
B. Who is Subject to the Large Position Reporting Rules
C. Rulemaking
II. Current Large Position Reporting Rules
A. Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements
1. On-Demand Reporting System
2. Notice Requesting Large Position Reports
3. Control
4. Components of a Position
5. Recordkeeping
B. Calls for Large Position Reports
III. Proposed Amendments to the Large Position Reporting Rules
A. Balancing of Regulatory and Market Needs
B. Section 420.1--Applicability
C. Section 420.2--Definitions
1. Large Position Threshold
2. Reporting Requirement
3. Tri-party Repurchase Agreement Shells
D. Changes to the Large Position Report
1. Reporting Format
2. Gross Reporting
3. Futures and Options Contracts
4. Components of a Position
5. Optional Administrative Information
E. Consolidated Guidance
F. Request for Comment
IV. Paperwork Reduction Act
V. Special Analysis
I. Background
A. Statutory Authority
In response to short squeezes in two-year Treasury notes that
occurred in the government securities market in 1990-1991,\3\ Congress
included a large position reporting provision in the 1993 amendments to
the GSA.\4\ This provision grants Treasury the authority to prescribe
rules requiring specified persons holding, maintaining, or controlling
large positions in to-be-issued or recently-issued \5\ Treasury
securities to file reports regarding such positions and to keep records
when required by Treasury. The provision was intended to improve the
collection of information by Treasury regarding large positions in
Treasury securities held by market participants. Such information
allows Treasury to monitor the impact of concentrations of positions in
the Treasury securities market. This information is also made available
to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), as Treasury's agent,
and the SEC.\6\ Treasury believes that large positions in Treasury
securities are not inherently problematic and there is no presumption
of manipulative or illegal intent merely because a reporting entity's
position is large enough to be subject to Treasury's LPR rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Joint Report on the Government Securities Market, Department
of the Treasury, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System (1992). See
www.treasurydirect.gov. Market participants use the term ``squeeze''
to refer to a shortage of supply relative to demand for a particular
security, as evidenced by a movement in its price to a level that is
out of line with prices of comparable securities--either outright
trading quotations or in financing arrangements.
\4\ See note 2, supra.
\5\ Treasury may request information on securities that fall
outside of these timeframes if such ``information is necessary and
appropriate for monitoring the impact of concentrations of positions
in Treasury securities.'' (See 17 CFR 420.2(g)(5)).
\6\ 15 U.S.C 78o-5(f)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The GSA specifically provides that Treasury shall not be compelled
to disclose publicly any information required to be kept or reported
for large position reporting. In particular, such information is
exempted by the GSA from disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ 15 U.S.C. 78o-5(f)(6).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Who Is Subject to the Large Position Reporting Rules
Treasury's LPR rules apply to all persons and entities, foreign and
domestic, that control a reportable position in a Treasury security,
including: Government securities brokers and dealers; registered
investment companies; registered investment advisers; custodians,
including depository institutions, that exercise investment discretion;
hedge funds; pension funds; insurance companies; and foreign affiliates
of U.S. entities.
The current rules provide an exemption for foreign central banks,
foreign governments, and international
[[Page 33147]]
monetary authorities (collectively, ``foreign official
organizations'').\8\ U.S. Federal Reserve Banks are also exempt for the
portion of any reportable position they control for their own
account.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ 17 CFR 420.1(b).
\9\ 17 CFR 420.1(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Rulemaking
Treasury published final rules in 1996 that established
recordkeeping and reporting requirements related to large positions in
certain Treasury securities.\10\ The LPR rules were subsequently
amended in 2002 to improve the collection of information in the Report
by requiring more detailed reporting of certain components of the
formula for determining a reportable position, adding a second
memorandum item that requires the reporting of the gross par amount of
``fails to deliver,'' and modifying the definition of ``gross financing
position'' to eliminate the optional exclusion in the calculation of
the amount of securities received through certain financing
transactions.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ 61 FR 48338 (September 12, 1996).
\11\ 67 FR 77412 (December 18, 2002).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Current Large Position Reporting Rules
A. Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements
1. On-Demand Reporting System
An ``on-demand'' reporting system, rather than a regular, ongoing
system of reporting, provides Treasury with the information necessary
to understand supply and demand dynamics in the Treasury securities
market, while minimizing the potential impact on the market's
efficiency and liquidity and the cost to taxpayers of funding the
federal debt. It also minimizes the cost and burden to those reporting
entities affected by the LPR rules.
2. Notice Requesting Large Position Reports
Reports must be filed with FRBNY in response to a notice \12\ from
Treasury requesting large position information on a specific issue of a
Treasury security. The Reports must be filed by defined reporting
entities controlling positions that equal or exceed the reporting
threshold specified in the notice. FRBNY must receive the Reports
before noon Eastern time on the fourth business day after the issuance
of the notice calling for large position information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ The notice is in the form of a Treasury press release that
is posted to the Treasury and TreasuryDirect Web sites, subsequently
published in the Federal Register, and also disseminated via social
media, major news and financial publications, and wire services. An
electronic mailing list that distributes the notice to subscribers
is also available at www.treasurydirect.gov.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Control
Treasury defines ``control'' as the authority to ``exercise
investment discretion over the purchase, sale, retention, or financing
of specific Treasury securities.'' \13\ Investment discretion can be
exercised by the beneficial owner, a custodian, or an investment
adviser. The party responsible for making investment decisions,
regardless of where securities are held, is the relevant reporting
entity for large position reporting because the actions and objectives
of the decision maker are what we are trying to determine.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ 17 CFR 420.2(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Components of a Position
Under the current rules, a ``reportable position is the sum of the
net trading positions, gross financing positions, and net fails
positions in a specified issue of Treasury securities collectively
controlled by a reporting entity.'' \14\ Specific components of these
positions are identified at Sec. 420.2.\15\ All position amounts are
currently required to be reported on a trade date basis at par value.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ 17 CFR 420.2(h).
\15\ See 17 CFR 420.2 for definitions of gross financing
position, net fails position, and net trading position.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Recordkeeping
The recordkeeping requirements provide that any reporting entity
controlling at least $2 billion of a particular Treasury security must
maintain and preserve certain records that enable it to compile,
aggregate, and report large position information.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ 17 CFR 420.4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Calls for Large Position Reports
Treasury has conducted 14 calls since the LPR rules became
effective in 1996.\17\ We are proposing certain amendments to the rules
based on the experience gained from these calls.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ So that market participants remain knowledgeable about the
LPR rules, specifically how to calculate and report a reportable
position, Treasury ``tests'' the reporting system by requesting
Reports annually, regardless of market conditions for a particular
security. See 60 FR 65223 (December 18, 1995).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Proposed Amendments to the Large Position Reporting Rules
A. Balancing of Regulatory and Market Needs
Treasury has attempted to strike a balance between achieving the
purposes and objectives of the GSA's LPR requirements and minimizing
costs and burdens on reporting entities. We believe that the amendments
being proposed continue to achieve this balance by improving the type
of information collected through the Reports while simplifying the
reporting process for many reporting entities.
Treasury staff has also consulted staff of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in developing this
proposal.
B. Section 420.1--Applicability
Treasury's LPR rules currently provide an exemption for foreign
central banks, foreign governments, and international monetary
authorities (collectively ``foreign official organizations''). U.S.
Federal Reserve Banks are also exempt for the portion of any reportable
position they control for their own account. Foreign official
organizations were exempted from the LPR rules issued in 1996 because
they did not typically control large positions in Treasury securities
and subjecting them to the reporting requirement would have presented
legal and jurisdictional issues.\18\ Since that time, foreign official
organizations have significantly increased their participation in the
Treasury securities market and have an interest in a liquid and well-
functioning Treasury securities market.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\18\ 61 FR 48342 (September 12, 1996).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Treasury is therefore proposing to eliminate these exemptions and
request that all foreign official organizations as well as U.S. Federal
Reserve Banks for their own accounts voluntarily submit Reports if they
meet or exceed the reporting threshold(s). Treasury believes that the
voluntary submission of Reports by these entities is consistent with
the purposes of the GSA and will help Treasury to better understand
supply and demand dynamics in the Treasury securities market. This in
turn will benefit these entities by helping the Treasury securities
market to remain liquid and efficient. As is the case with all Reports,
these voluntary Reports would be submitted only in response to a call
for large position reports. Treasury requests for Reports are
infrequent.\19\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ See note 17, supra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Section 420.2--Definitions
1. Large Position Threshold
The current definition of ``large position threshold'' \20\
contains references to the term ``reportable position.'' The proposed
amendments to
[[Page 33148]]
the LPR rules no longer include the concept of a reportable position,
and therefore, Treasury is proposing to delete references to the term
``reportable position'' in the definition of ``large position
threshold.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\20\ 17 CFR 420.2(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The current definition of ``large position threshold'' also
establishes a minimum reporting threshold of $2 billion. The GSA
requires that the LPR rules specify ``the minimum size of positions
subject to reporting under this subsection, which shall be no less than
the size that provides the potential for manipulation or control of the
supply or price, or the cost of financing arrangements, of an issue or
the portion thereof that is available for trading.'' \21\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\21\ See note 2, supra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Treasury is proposing to replace the current $2 billion minimum
reporting threshold with a minimum threshold that is 10 percent of the
outstanding amount of the specified Treasury security. Given the large
range of issue sizes among various Treasury securities, making the
minimum reporting threshold a percentage of the amount of the security
outstanding may be a better indicator of concentrations of control. A
percentage threshold will potentially allow for a threshold that is
less than the current $2 billion minimum. We will state the dollar
amount of the reporting threshold(s) in the notice and press release
announcing a call for Reports. Treasury is not proposing, however, to
amend the $2 billion threshold that triggers the LPR recordkeeping
requirement.\22\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\22\ 17 CFR 420.4(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Reporting Requirement
Under the current LPR rules, an entity must submit a Report if its
reportable position meets or exceeds the large position threshold. The
reportable position is the sum of the net trading, gross financing, and
net fails positions. This calculation could result in a reportable
position that falls below the large position threshold if an entity's
net trading position is a large negative number.
Treasury proposes replacing the concept of the reportable position
with a reporting requirement that entities must file a Report if any
one of seven criteria is met.\23\ For certain reporting criteria
Treasury may announce different thresholds. For example, Treasury may
have a different threshold for settlement fails than for other
reporting criteria. Applying the large position threshold(s) to several
different criteria may provide greater insight into gross exposures
large enough to potentially impact the liquidity of the security,
regardless of how the position was acquired. However, under no
circumstances will a large position threshold be less than 10 percent
of the amount outstanding of the specified Treasury security.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\23\ See Appendix B to the proposed rule, ``Sample Large
Position Report,'' for the proposed criteria.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Tri-Party Repurchase Agreement Shells
The proposed amendments introduce the term ``tri-party repurchase
agreement shell.'' A tri-party repurchase agreement (repo) shell is an
account created on the books of a tri-party repo agent bank following
confirmation of a tri-party repo transaction between a cash lender and
a collateral provider. Each shell has a unique account number and an
eligibility rule set based on an agreement between the cash lender and
the collateral provider. The rule set defines the type of securities
that are eligible for the shell as well as associated haircuts.
Collateral is allocated and held for the duration of the transaction in
the tri-party repo shell. The shell must be fully collateralized at all
times and collateral providers may remove collateral from the shell
only if shell-eligible collateral of equal value is allocated into the
shell in its place.
D. Changes to the Large Position Report
1. Reporting Format
The current LPR rules require entities to calculate their total
reportable position as of the close of business on the report date.
Treasury is proposing a revised format for an entity to report its
positions and settlement obligations in the specified Treasury
security, including: (1) Positions at the opening of the Federal
Reserve System's Fedwire[supreg] Securities Service (Fedwire),\24\ (2)
settlement obligations created prior to and on the report date, and (3)
positions at the close of Fedwire. The proposed reporting format would
provide Treasury a better understanding of reporting entities'
positions in the specified Treasury security leading up to the report
date, their settlement obligations created prior to or on the report
date, and their positions at the end of the report date.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\24\ The Federal Reserve System's Fedwire Securities Service is
a book-entry securities transfer system that provides safekeeping,
transfer, and delivery-versus-payment settlement services. The
Fedwire Securities Service operates daily from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. Eastern Time.
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2. Gross Reporting
Under the current rules, reporting entities are required to net
obligations to receive and deliver in the net trading and net fails
positions. For transactions between different reporting entities,
Treasury is proposing using a two-column format for positions to be
reported on a gross basis in order to separate settlement ``obligations
to receive'' and ``obligations to deliver.'' For example, settlement
fails resulting from an obligation to receive would be reported
separately from settlement fails resulting from an obligation to
deliver. This format would potentially make it easier for Treasury to
understand a reporting entity's trading activity, including what
positions it might control in the future. This approach may also be
easier for many reporting entities to understand because it may align
more closely with the way they typically maintain their records.
To avoid multiple counting, aggregating entities that are part of
the same reporting entity would be required to net receive and deliver
obligations resulting from intercompany transactions.
3. Futures and Options Contracts
Currently, the LPR rules only require the reporting of positions in
futures contracts that require the delivery of the specified Treasury
security. We are proposing to expand the components of a position to
also include futures, options on futures, and options contracts for
which the specified Treasury security is deliverable. The components
would include contracts that require delivery of the specified Treasury
security as well as contracts that allow for the delivery of several
securities.
4. Components of a Position
As part of an ongoing effort to improve the information Treasury
receives in response to a call for Reports, we routinely discuss ways
to improve the LPR rules with market participants. Feedback from these
discussions suggests that the current rules and formula could be
modified to more closely align with the way reporting entities
typically maintain their records and also may provide more meaningful
information for Treasury.
Accordingly, we are proposing to replace the current components of
a total reportable position with the following report components:
a. Positions in the Security Being Reported at the Opening of
Fedwire on the Report Date, including positions:
i. In accounts of the reporting entity;
ii. In tri-party repurchase agreement shells;
iii. As collateral or margin against financial derivatives and
other
[[Page 33149]]
contractual obligations of the reporting entity; and
iv. Controlled by any other means.
b. Settlement Obligations Attributable to Purchase and Sale
Contracts Negotiated Prior to and on the Report Date (excluding
settlement fails), including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to contracts for cash settlement
(T+0);
ii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to contracts for regular
settlement (T+1);
iii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to forward contracts, including
when-issued contracts, for forward settlement (T+n, n>1);
iv. Obligations to receive, on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to Treasury auction awards; and
v. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, principal
STRIPS \25\ derived from the security being reported attributable to
contracts for cash settlement, regular settlement, when-issued
contracts, and forward contracts.
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\25\ STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered Interest and
Principal of Securities) means Treasury's program under which
eligible securities are authorized to be separated into principal
and interest components, and transferred separately. See 31 CFR
356.2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
c. Settlement Obligations Attributable to Delivery-versus-Payment
Financing Contracts (including repurchase agreements and securities
lending agreements) Negotiated Prior to and on the Report Date
(excluding settlement fails), including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to overnight agreements;
ii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to term agreements opened on, or due to
close on, the report date;
iii. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to open agreements opened on, or due to
close on, the report date.
d. Settlement Fails from Days Prior to the Report Date (Legacy
Obligations), including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, arising out of settlement fails on days prior to the
report date.
e. Settlement Fails as of the Close of Fedwire on the Report Date,
including:
i. Obligations to receive or deliver, on the business day following
the report date, the security being reported, and principal STRIPS
derived from the security being reported, arising out of settlement
fails on the report date.
f. Positions in the Security Being Reported at the Close of Fedwire
on the Report Date, including positions:
i. In accounts of the reporting entity;
ii. In tri-party repurchase agreement shells;
iii. As collateral or margin against financial derivatives and
other contractual obligations of the reporting entity; and
iv. Controlled by any other means.
g. Quantity of Continuing Delivery-versus-Payment Financing
Contracts for the Security Being Reported, including the:
i. Net amount of security being reported lent out on term
repurchase agreements that were opened before the report date and that
were not due to close until after the report date, and on open
repurchase agreements that were opened before the report date and that
were not closed on the report date.
h. Futures and Options Contracts, including the:
i. Net long position, immediately prior to the opening of futures
and options trading on the report date, in futures, options on futures,
and options contracts on which the security being reported is
deliverable; and
ii. Net long position, immediately following the close of futures
and options trading on the report date, in futures, options on futures,
and options contracts on which the security being reported is
deliverable.
All amounts should be reported as positive numbers and at par in
millions of dollars.
5. Optional Administrative Information
Treasury is providing an option for reporting entities to identify
the type(s) of business engaged in by the reporting entity and its
aggregating entities with respect to positions in the specified
Treasury security by checking the appropriate box. The types of
businesses listed in the proposed Report are: Broker or dealer,
government securities broker or dealer, municipal securities broker or
dealer, futures commission merchant, bank holding company, non-bank
holding company, bank, investment adviser, commodity pool operator,
pension trustee, non-pension trustee, and insurance company. Reporting
entities could identify as many business types as applicable. If the
reporting entity is engaged in a business that is not listed, it could
select ``other'' and provide a description of its business with regard
to the specified Treasury security. Knowing the type(s) of business in
which the reporting entity is engaged would help Treasury better
understand the Treasury security positions included in the entity's
Report.
Treasury is also providing an option for reporting entities to
identify their overall investment strategy with respect to positions in
the specified Treasury security by checking the appropriate box. Active
investment strategies would include those that involve purchasing,
selling, borrowing, lending, and financing positions in the security
prior to maturity. Passive investment strategies would include those
that involve holding the security until maturity. A combination of
active and passive strategies would involve applying the aforementioned
active and passive strategies to all or a portion of a reporting
entity's positions in the security.
E. Consolidated Guidance
The current LPR rules specify the positions that entities are
required to report, however, additional guidance on the treatment of
specific transactions is contained in the preambles to the previous
proposed and final rules and a list of Frequently Asked Questions and
Answers available on the TreasuryDirect Web site. The proposed
amendments consolidate certain guidance in the rules themselves, which
may help to simplify the reporting process and make the reporting
requirements clearer.
F. Request for Comment
Treasury welcomes comments on all of these proposed amendments, in
particular whether: (1) The proposed amendments would accomplish the
goal of providing Treasury with more useful information regarding
supply and demand dynamics in certain Treasury securities; (2) the
effect, if any, the proposed amendments would have on reporting
entities in calculating their positions; (3) based on the proposed
amendments, the current three and a half business day reporting
timeframe would be sufficient to allow reporting entities to complete
the proposed Report; (4) establishing a minimum LPR threshold that is
10 percent of the outstanding amount of the specified Treasury security
is appropriate; (5) announcing different thresholds for certain
reporting criteria is appropriate; (6) the proposed treatment of fails
is appropriate; (7) including options in the
[[Page 33150]]
positions that are required to be reported is appropriate or whether
there are other amounts or positions that would be meaningful to
include; (8) other business types of reporting entities should be
identified on the report; and (9) $2 billion is the appropriate
threshold that triggers the LPR recordkeeping requirement. We invite
comments on the effect of these proposed amendments, including any
operational or system modifications that may be needed. We also welcome
comments on any other aspects of the proposed amendments and how to
improve the LPR rules.
IV. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Act) requires that collections
of information prescribed in the proposed amendments to the LPR rules
be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review
and approval.\26\ In accordance with that requirement, Treasury has
submitted the collection of information contained in this notice of
proposed rulemaking for review. Under the Act, an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a
collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control
number. Comments on the collection of information may be submitted
electronically to oira.submission@omb.eop.gov, or may be mailed to the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for Department of the Treasury,
Washington, DC 20503; and to the Government Securities Regulations
Staff, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, at the address specified at the
beginning of this document.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\26\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The collection of information in the proposed amendments is
contained in proposed Sec. 420.3. The proposed amendments require a
reporting entity that meets any one of seven criteria to submit a
Report to FRBNY. Although we cannot be certain of the number of
entities that would be required to report their positions as a result
of a call for such Reports, we believe few reporting entities would
actually have to file Reports because the minimum reporting threshold
remains high. In fact, the actual reporting threshold(s) in a specific
call for large position reports may exceed the minimum reporting
threshold. Moreover, we expect that our requests for information will
continue to be infrequent.
Treasury does not believe that reporting entities would find
reporting the additional opening position information and separately
reporting gross obligations to deliver and receive overly burdensome
because this approach may align more closely with the way many
reporting entities typically maintain their records. In addition,
reporting entities must collect much of this information to calculate
their reportable position under the current LPR rules. Because the
proposed amendments would require more detailed information to be
provided by entities that file reports, we are increasing the annual
reporting burden in our submission to OMB by 104 hours, representing an
increase from eight hours to ten hours per reporting entity and an
increase from 12 to 20 reporting entities.
The collection of information is intended to enable the Treasury
and other regulators to better understand supply and demand dynamics in
certain Treasury securities. This information would help the Treasury
securities market remain liquid and efficient and facilitate government
borrowing at the lowest possible cost to taxpayers.
Treasury invites further comments on: (1) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
Treasury's functions, including whether the information has practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of Treasury's estimate of the burden; (3)
enhancement of the quality, utility, and clarity of information to be
collected; and (4) minimizing the information collection burden on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Estimated total annual reporting burden: 200 hours.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 20.
Estimated annual frequency of response: 1.
V. Special Analysis
Executive Orders 13563 and 12866 direct agencies to assess costs
and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety
effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563
emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of
reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility.
The proposed amendments reflect Treasury's continuing interest in
meeting its informational needs while minimizing the cost and burden on
those entities affected by the regulations. The proposed amendments
retain the on-demand reporting system, adopted in 1996, which is less
burdensome than a regular reporting system. Based on the limited impact
of the proposed amendments, it is our view that the proposed
regulations are not a ``significant regulatory action'' for the
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
In addition, we certify under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601, et seq.) that the proposed amendments to the current
regulations would not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. We believe that small entities
will not control positions of 10 percent or greater in any particular
Treasury security. The inapplicability of the proposed amendments to
small entities indicates there is no significant impact. As a result, a
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required.
List of Subjects in 17 CFR Part 420
Banks, banking, Brokers, Government securities, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, we propose that 17 CFR part
420 be revised to read as follows:
PART 420--LARGE POSITION REPORTING
Sec.
420.1 Applicability.
420.2 Definitions.
420.3 Reporting.
420.4 Recordkeeping.
420.5 Effective date.
Appendix A to Part 420--Separate Reporting Entity.
Appendix B to Part 420--Sample Large Position Report.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 78o-5(f).
Sec. 420.1 Applicability.
(a) This part is applicable to all persons that participate in the
government securities market, including, but not limited to: Government
securities brokers and dealers, depository institutions that exercise
investment discretion, registered investment companies, registered
investment advisers, pension funds, hedge funds, and insurance
companies that may control a position in a recently-issued marketable
Treasury bill, note, or bond as those terms are defined in Sec. 420.2.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, Treasury
requests that central banks (including U.S. Federal Reserve Banks for
their own account), foreign governments, and international monetary
authorities voluntarily submit large position reports when they meet or
exceed the reporting threshold(s).
[[Page 33151]]
Sec. 420.2 Definitions.
For the purposes of this part:
Aggregating entity means a single entity (e.g., a parent company,
affiliate, or organizational component) that is combined with other
entities, as specified in the definition of ``reporting entity'' of
this section, to form a reporting entity. In those cases where an
entity has no affiliates, the aggregating entity is the same as the
reporting entity.
Control means having the authority to exercise investment
discretion over the purchase, sale, retention, or financing of specific
Treasury securities. Only one entity should be considered to have
investment discretion over a particular position.
Large position threshold means the minimum dollar par amount of the
specified Treasury security that a reporting entity must control in
order for the entity to be required to submit a large position report.
Treasury will announce the large position threshold(s), which may vary
with each notice of request to report large position information and
with each specified Treasury security. Treasury may announce different
thresholds for certain reporting criteria. Under no circumstances will
a large position threshold be less than 10 percent of the amount
outstanding of the specified Treasury security.
Recently-issued means:
(1) With respect to Treasury securities that are issued quarterly
or more frequently, the three most recent issues of the security.
(2) With respect to Treasury securities that are issued less
frequently than quarterly, the two most recent issues of the security.
(3) With respect to a reopened security, the entire issue of a
reopened security (older and newer portions) based on the date the new
portion of the reopened security is issued by Treasury (or for when-
issued securities, the scheduled issue date).
(4) For all Treasury securities, a security announced to be issued
or auctioned but unissued (when-issued), starting from the date of the
issuance announcement. The most recent issue of the security is the one
most recently announced.
(5) Treasury security issues other than those specified in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition, provided that such large
position information is necessary and appropriate for monitoring the
impact of concentrations of positions in Treasury securities.
Reporting entity means any corporation, partnership, person, or
other entity and its affiliates, as further provided herein. For the
purposes of this definition, an affiliate is any: Entity that is more
than 50% owned, directly or indirectly, by the aggregating entity or by
any other affiliate of the aggregating entity; person or entity that
owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the aggregating entity;
person or entity that owns, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of
any other affiliate of the aggregating entity; or entity, a majority of
whose board of directors or a majority of whose general partners are
directors or officers of the aggregating entity or any affiliate of the
aggregating entity.
(1) Subject to the conditions prescribed in appendix A to this
part, one aggregating entity, or a combination of aggregating entities,
may be recognized as a separate reporting entity.
(2) Notwithstanding this definition, any persons or entities that
intentionally act together with respect to the investing in, retention
of, or financing of Treasury securities are considered, collectively,
to be one reporting entity.
Reporting requirement means that an entity must file a large
position report when it meets any one of seven criteria contained in
appendix B to this part.
Tri-party repurchase agreement (repo) shell means an account
created on the books of a tri-party repo agent bank following
confirmation of a tri-party repo transaction between a cash lender and
a collateral provider. Each shell has a unique account number and an
eligibility rule set based on an agreement between the cash lender and
the collateral provider. The rule set defines the type of securities
that are eligible for the shell as well as associated haircuts.
Collateral is allocated and held for the duration of the transaction in
the tri-party repo shell. The shell must be fully collateralized at all
times and collateral providers may remove collateral from the shell
only if shell-eligible collateral of equal value is allocated into the
shell in its place.
Sec. 420.3 Reporting.
(a) A reporting entity must file a large position report if it
meets the reporting requirement as defined in Sec. 420.2 of this part.
Treasury will provide notice of the large position threshold(s) by
issuing a press release and subsequently publishing the notice in the
Federal Register. Such notice will identify the Treasury security issue
to be reported (including, where applicable, identifying the related
STRIPS principal component); the date or dates for which the large
position information must be reported; and the applicable large
position threshold(s) for that issue. A reporting entity is responsible
for taking reasonable actions to be aware of such a notice.
(b) A reporting entity shall select one entity from among its
aggregating entities (i.e., the designated filing entity) as the entity
designated to compile and file a report on behalf of the reporting
entity. The designated filing entity shall be responsible for filing
any large position reports in response to a notice issued by Treasury
and for maintaining the additional records prescribed in Sec. 420.4.
(c)(1) In response to a notice issued under paragraph (a) of this
section requesting large position information, a reporting entity that
controls an amount of the specified Treasury security that equals or
exceeds one of the specified large position thresholds stated in the
notice shall compile and report the amounts of the reporting entity's
positions in the order specified, as follows:
(i) Part I. Positions in the Security Being Reported at the Opening
of Fedwire[supreg] on the Report Date, including positions:
(A) In accounts of the reporting entity;
(B) In tri-party repurchase agreement shells;
(C) As collateral or margin against financial derivatives and other
contractual obligations of the reporting entity; and
(D) Controlled by any other means.
(ii) Part II. Settlement Obligations Attributable to Purchase and
Sale Contracts Negotiated Prior to and on the Report Date (excluding
settlement fails), including:
(A) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to contracts for cash settlement
(T+0);
(B) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to contracts for regular
settlement (T+1);
(C) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported attributable to forward contracts, including
when-issued contracts, for forward settlement (T+n, n>1);
(D) Obligations to receive, on the report date, the security being
reported attributable to Treasury auction awards; and
(E) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date,
principal STRIPS derived from the security being reported attributable
to contracts for cash settlement, regular settlement, when-issued
contracts, and forward contracts.
(iii) Part III. Settlement Obligations Attributable to Delivery-
versus-Payment
[[Page 33152]]
Financing Contracts (including repurchase agreements and securities
lending agreements) Negotiated Prior to and on the Report Date
(excluding settlement fails), including:
(A) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to overnight agreements;
(B) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to term agreements opened on, or due to
close on, the report date; and
(C) Obligations to receive or deliver, on the report date, the
security being reported, and principal STRIPS derived from the security
being reported, attributable to open agreements opened on, or due to
close on, the report date.
(iv) Part IV. Settlement Fails from Days Prior to the Report Date
(Legacy Obligations), including obligations to receive or deliver, on
the report date, the security being reported, and principal STRIPS
derived from the security being reported, arising out of settlement
fails on days prior to the report date.
(v) Part V. Settlement Fails as of the Close of Fedwire on the
Report Date, including obligations to receive or deliver, on the
business day following the report date, the security being reported,
and principal STRIPS derived from the security being reported, arising
out of settlement fails on the report date.
(vi) Part VI. Positions in the Security Being Reported at the Close
of Fedwire on the Report Date, including:
(A) In accounts of the reporting entity;
(B) In tri-party repurchase agreement shells;
(C) As collateral or margin against financial derivatives and other
contractual obligations of the reporting entity; and
(D) Controlled by any other means.
(vii) Part VII. Quantity of Continuing Delivery-versus-Payment
Financing Contracts for the Security Being Reported, including net
amount of security being reported lent out on term repurchase
agreements that were opened before the report date and that were not
due to close until after the report date, and on open repurchase
agreements that were opened before the report date and that were not
closed on the report date.
(viii) Part VIII. Futures and Options Contracts, including:
(A) Net long position, immediately prior to the opening of futures
and options trading on the report date, in futures, options on futures,
and options contracts on which the security being reported is
deliverable; and
(B) Net long position, immediately following the close of futures
and options trading on the report date, in futures, options on futures,
and options contracts on which the security being reported is
deliverable.
(2) An illustration of a sample report is contained in Appendix B.
(3) Each of the components of Part I-Part VIII shall be reported as
a positive number or zero. All reportable amounts should be reported in
the order specified above and at par in millions of dollars.
(4) Each submitted large position report must include the following
administrative information: Name of the reporting entity; address of
the principal place of business; name and address of the designated
filing entity; the Treasury security that is being reported; the CUSIP
number for the security being reported; the report date or dates for
which information is being reported; the date the report was submitted;
name and telephone number of the person to contact regarding
information reported; and name and position of the authorized
individual submitting this report.
Reporting entities have the option to identify the type(s) of
business engaged in by the reporting entity and its aggregating
entities with positions in the specified Treasury security by checking
the appropriate box. The types of businesses include: Broker or dealer,
government securities broker or dealer, municipal securities broker or
dealer, futures commission merchant, bank holding company, non-bank
holding company, bank, investment adviser, commodity pool operator,
pension trustee, non-pension trustee, and insurance company. Reporting
entities may select as many business types as applicable. If the
reporting entity is engaged in a business that is not listed, it could
select ``other'' and provide a description of its business with respect
to positions in the specified Treasury security.
Reporting entities also have the option to identify their overall
investment strategy with respect to positions in the specified Treasury
security by checking the appropriate box. Active investment strategies
include those that involve purchasing, selling, borrowing, lending, and
financing positions in the security prior to maturity. Passive
investment strategies include those that involve holding the security
until maturity. A combination of active and passive strategies would
involve applying the aforementioned active and passive strategies to
all or a portion of a reporting entity's positions in the specified
Treasury security. Reporting entities may select the most applicable
investment strategy.
(5) The large position report must be signed by one of the
following: The chief compliance officer; chief legal officer; chief
financial officer; chief operating officer; chief executive officer; or
managing partner or equivalent. The designated filing entity must also
include in the report, immediately preceding the signature, a statement
of certification as follows:
By signing below, I certify that the information contained in
this report with regard to the designated filing entity is accurate
and complete. Further, after reasonable inquiry and to the best of
my knowledge and belief, I certify that: (i) the information
contained in this report with regard to any other aggregating
entities is accurate and complete; and (ii) the reporting entity,
including all aggregating entities, is in compliance with the
requirements of 17 CFR part 420.
(6) The report must be filed before noon Eastern time on the fourth
business day following issuance of the press release.
(d) A report to be filed pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section
will be considered filed when received by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York. The report may be filed by facsimile or delivered hard copy.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York may in its discretion also
authorize additional means of reporting.
(e) A reporting entity that has filed a report pursuant to
paragraph (c) of this section shall, at the request of Treasury or the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, timely provide any supplemental
information pertaining to such report.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number
1535-0089)
Sec. 420.4 Recordkeeping.
(a) Recordkeeping responsibility of aggregating entities.
Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this
section, an aggregating entity that controls a portion of its reporting
entity's position in a recently-issued Treasury security, when such
position of the reporting entity equals or exceeds $2 billion, shall be
responsible for making and maintaining the records prescribed in this
section.
(b) Records to be made and preserved by entities that are subject
to the recordkeeping provisions of the SEC, Treasury, or the
appropriate regulatory agencies for financial institutions. As an
aggregating entity, compliance by a registered broker or dealer,
registered government securities broker or dealer,
[[Page 33153]]
noticed financial institution, depository institution that exercises
investment discretion, registered investment adviser, or registered
investment company with the applicable recordkeeping provisions of the
SEC, Treasury, or the appropriate regulatory agencies for financial
institutions shall constitute compliance with this section, provided
that, if such entity is also the designated filing entity, it:
(1) Makes and keeps copies of all large position reports filed
pursuant to this part;
(2) Makes and keeps supporting documents or schedules used to
compute data for the large position reports filed pursuant to this
part, including any certifications or schedules it receives from
aggregating entities pertaining to their holdings of the reporting
entity's position;
(3) Makes and keeps a chart showing the organizational entities
that are aggregated (if applicable) in determining the reporting
entity's position; and
(4) With respect to recordkeeping preservation requirements that
contain more than one retention period, preserves records required by
paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section for the longest record
retention period of applicable recordkeeping provisions.
(c) Records to be made and preserved by other entities. (1) An
aggregating entity that is not subject to the provisions of paragraph
(b) of this section shall make and preserve a journal, blotter, or
other record of original entry containing an itemized record of all
transactions that contribute to a reporting entity's position,
including information showing the account for which such transactions
were effected and the following information pertaining to the
identification of each instrument: The type of security, the par
amount, the CUSIP number, the trade date, the maturity date, the type
of transaction (e.g., a reverse repurchase agreement), and the name or
other designation of the person from whom sold or purchased.
(2) If such aggregating entity is also the designated filing
entity, then in addition it shall make and preserve the following
records:
(i) Copies of all large position reports filed pursuant to this
part;
(ii) Supporting documents or schedules used to compute data for the
large position reports filed pursuant to this part, including any
certifications or schedules it receives from aggregating entities
pertaining to their holdings of the reporting entity's position; and
(iii) A chart showing the organizational entities that are
aggregated (if applicable) in determining the reporting entity's
position.
(3) With respect to the records required by paragraphs (c)(1) and
(2) of this section, each such aggregating entity shall preserve such
records for a period of not less than six years, the first two years in
an easily accessible place. If an aggregating entity maintains its
records at a location other than its principal place of business, the
aggregating entity must maintain an index that states the location of
the records, and such index must be easily accessible at all times.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number
1535-0089)
Sec. 420.5 Applicability date.
The provisions of this part shall be first applicable beginning
March 31, 1997.
Appendix A to Part 420--Separate Reporting Entity
Subject to the following conditions, one or more aggregating
entity(ies) (e.g., parent, subsidiary, or organizational component)
in a reporting entity, either separately or together with one or
more other aggregating entity(ies), may be recognized as a separate
reporting entity. All of the following conditions must be met for
such entity(ies) to qualify for recognition as a separate reporting
entity:
(1) Such entity(ies) must be prohibited by law or regulation
from exchanging, or must have established written internal
procedures designed to prevent the exchange of information related
to transactions in Treasury securities with any other aggregating
entity;
(2) Such entity(ies) must not be created for the purpose of
circumventing these large position reporting rules;
(3) Decisions related to the purchase, sale or retention of
Treasury securities must be made by employees of such entity(ies).
Employees of such entity(ies) who make decisions to purchase or
dispose of Treasury securities must not perform the same function
for other aggregating entities; and
(4) The records of such entity(ies) related to the ownership,
financing, purchase and sale of Treasury securities must be
maintained by such entity(ies). Those records must be identifiable--
separate and apart from similar records for other aggregating
entities.
To obtain recognition as a separate reporting entity, each
aggregating entity or group of aggregating entities must request
such recognition from Treasury pursuant to the procedures outlined
in Sec. 400.2(c) of this chapter. Such request must provide a
description of the entity or group and its position within the
reporting entity, and provide the following certification:
[Name of the entity(ies)] hereby certifies that to the best of
its knowledge and belief it meets the conditions for a separate
reporting entity as described in Appendix A to 17 CFR Part 420. The
above named entity also certifies that it has established written
policies or procedures, including ongoing compliance monitoring
processes, that are designed to prevent the entity or group of
entities from:
(1) Exchanging any of the following information with any other
aggregating entity (a) positions that it holds or plans to trade in
a Treasury security; (b) investment strategies that it plans to
follow regarding Treasury securities; and (c) financing strategies
that it plans to follow regarding Treasury securities, or
(2) In any way intentionally acting together with any other
aggregating entity with respect to the purchase, sale, retention or
financing of Treasury securities.
The above-named entity agrees that it will promptly notify
Treasury in writing when any of the information provided to obtain
separate reporting entity status changes or when this certification
is no longer valid.
Any entity, including any organizational component thereof, that
previously has received recognition as a separate bidder in Treasury
auctions from Treasury pursuant to 31 CFR part 356 is also
recognized as a separate reporting entity without the need to
request such status, provided such entity continues to be in
compliance with the conditions set forth in appendix A to 31 CFR
part 356.
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Matthew S. Rutherford,
Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets.
[FR Doc. 2014-13482 Filed 6-9-14; 8:45 am]
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