Commodity Futures Trading Commission December 12, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission proposes to amend regulations concerning speculative position limits to conform to the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 (``Dodd-Frank Act'') amendments to the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'' or ``Act''). The Commission proposes to establish speculative position limits for 28 exempt and agricultural commodity futures and option contracts, and physical commodity swaps that are ``economically equivalent'' to such contracts. In connection with establishing these limits, the Commission proposes to update some relevant definitions; revise the exemptions from speculative position limits, including for bona fide hedging; and extend and update reporting requirements for persons claiming exemption from these limits. The Commission proposes appendices that would provide guidance on risk management exemptions for commodity derivative contracts in excluded commodities permitted under the proposed definition of bona fide hedging position; list core referenced futures contracts and commodities that would be substantially the same as a commodity underlying a core referenced futures contract for purposes of the proposed definition of basis contract; describe and analyze fourteen fact patterns that would satisfy the proposed definition of bona fide hedging position; and present the proposed speculative position limit levels in tabular form. In addition, the Commission proposes to update certain of its rules, guidance and acceptable practices for compliance with Designated Contract Market (``DCM'') core principle 5 and Swap Execution Facility (``SEF'') core principle 6 in respect of exchange- set speculative position limits and position accountability levels.