Commodity Futures Trading Commission December 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is reproposing rules to amend part 150 of the Commission's 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 reproposal would establish speculative position limits for 25 exempt and agricultural commodity futures and option contracts, and physical commodity swaps that are ``economically equivalent'' to such contracts (as such term is used in section 4a(a)(5) of the CEA). In connection with establishing these limits, the Commission is reproposing 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 is also reproposing appendices to part 150 that would provide guidance on risk management exemptions for commodity derivative contracts in excluded commodities permitted under the revised 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 definition of location basis contract; describe and analyze fourteen fact patterns that would satisfy the reproposed definition of bona fide hedging position; and present the reproposed 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. Furthermore, the Commission is reproposing processes for DCMs and SEFs to recognize certain positions in commodity derivative contracts as non-enumerated bona fide hedges or enumerated anticipatory bona fide hedges, as well as to exempt from position limits certain spread positions, in each case subject to Commission review. Separately, the Commission is reproposing to delay for DCMs and SEFs that lack access to sufficient swap position information the requirement to establish and monitor position limits on swaps.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is proposing to adopt new regulations and to amend existing regulations to implement sections 4s(e) and (f) of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA''), as added by section 731 of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank Act''). Section 4s(e) requires the Commission to adopt capital requirements for swap dealers (``SDs'') and major swap participants (``MSPs'') that are not subject to capital rules of a prudential regulator. Section 4s(f) requires the Commission to adopt financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements for SDs and MSPs. The Commission also is proposing to amend existing capital rules for futures commission merchants (``FCMs''), providing specific capital deductions for market risk and credit risk for swaps and security-based swaps entered into by an FCM. The Commission is further proposing several technical amendments to the regulations.