Regulation

The U.S. House of Representatives doesn’t plan any votes on the federal budget tonight, meaning that Congress for now will fail to avert $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts set to start at midnight.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said lawmakers in Congress are “very, very close” to a deal to avert $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts set to start at midnight.

The White House and congressional negotiators agreed to contours of a budget deal including tax cut extensions, with the remaining sticking point being how to avert automatic federal spending cuts, said an official familiar with the talks.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he’s hopeful negotiators can reach a last-minute U.S. budget deal that would protect all but top earners from a tax increase.

Negotiators made progress overnight as they tried to reach a last-minute U.S. budget deal that would let income taxes go up on some top earners.

Over the coming year, financial regulators are expected to press ahead with scores of rulemaking proceedings that will affect advisors and their clients. Lawmakers will continue to refine and implement numerous provisions of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill, while mulling the possibility of expanding oversight of investment advisors.

With little more than a day remaining to avert tax increases for almost every U.S. worker and to halt federal spending cuts, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell worked to bridge gaps over income tax rates, the estate tax and other issues.

President Barack Obama made a last- minute appeal for compromise as three senators said the chances were greater than 50-50 for a deal to avert more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. In an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Obama warned of “an adverse reaction in the markets” if Congress doesn’t act.

If there is one sentiment that fiscal policy debates in Washington have taught investors not to expect over the years, it’s optimism, according to the chief market strategist at LPL. Time and again, we have seen our politicians respond to serious questions on the future of our nation’s economy by kicking the can down the road, or worse. Could it be different this time around for 2013?

Congress is scheduled to return Thursday, with one of its top priorities a deal to avert the December 31 “fiscal cliff” deadline of looming tax increases and automatic spending cuts, but it will need to work quickly or reach some type of interim agreement.