Regulation

A Securities and Exchange Commission member said Wednesday that many improvements to the municipal securities market can be made by the SEC without seeking regulatory authority over municipal issuers from Congress.

A rise in schemes targeting advisors has prompted the SEC to seek new protections. But it’s not clear how far the proposed rules would go.

A proposal to tighten regulation of foreign banks in the U.S. would also significantly expand the central bank's oversight of foreign broker-dealers, effectively snatching supervisory responsibility from the SEC.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has tapped David Grim for the No. 2 spot in the Division of Investment Management, the bureau that oversees federally registered investment advisors.

The TCW Group has appointed Meredith Jackson as General Counsel, effective January 15.

The collective voice of independent financial advisors just got a little bit louder.

A FINRA arbitration panel has dismissed a claim that Stifel illegitimately poached a number of legacy A.G. Edwards advisors.

Alarmed at a set of conditions that could invite sales abuses and eventually a market correction, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority enters 2013 with a warning to investment advisors that the group plans to keep a close eye on the industry and hold advisors accountable to its new suitability rule.

Bank of America agreed to pay $62.5 million to resolve investor claims that the bank’s directors mishandled the acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co., company officials said.

The current economic recovery, while slow, is on track. Fiscal cliff fears have been grossly exaggerated, to the detriment of investors and planners. And sometimes there’s an upside to a modest recession.