Law and regulation

Fund giant boards of directors at AllianceBernstein, American Funds, Fidelity, Vanguard and others are reportedly starting to bring about meaningful change in the corporations in which they are invested. Proof should come any day now, when the shareholder proxy votes from the annual meetings are released.

The recovery zone bond program would double in size to $50 billion and Build America Bonds could be used to do current refundings of existing BABs under a new tax and jobs bill released late Thursday evening by leaders of the House and Senate tax-writing committees.

Though House and Senate lawmakers still have plenty of issues to work out in the final regulatory reform bill, one thing is already clear: The legislation will do little to streamline the fractured financial regulatory framework.

Bill Would Extend Muni Provisions

The Senate voted Thursday evening to approve a historic financial regulatory reform bill that would make sweeping changes in how the financial system is regulated.

A fourth market participant, Mark Zaino, has pleaded guilty to participating in bid-rigging and fraud conspiracies in connection with municipal investment contracts and derivatives, the Justice Department announced yesterday.

For a bill that has already seen its fair share of fits and starts, regulatory reform legislation hit a wall Wednesday as it failed a key procedural vote in the Senate and lawmakers squabbled over whether to add more amendments.

When it comes to investing, many commercial banks, pension funds, endowments and other institutions are not sophisticated and need SEC protections.

The SEC, FINRA and national securities exchanges are proposing individual circuit-breakers for every stock available in the U.S.

After refusing to answer questions for weeks about whether banks should be allowed to continue to operate as swaps dealers, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd quietly filed an amendment Tuesday that would give regulators the power to gut such a proposed ban.

Financial institutions are sounding the alarm over an amendment to the Senate bill that many initially deemed harmless but now see as threatening a key source of capital: trust-preferred securities.

Warns of Details In Reform Bill

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd took to the floor Thursday to beg his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stop adding more amendments, warning the process is in danger of spinning out of control.

After years of trying, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., finally succeeded Thursday in passing a measure that would restrict interchange fees.

FINRA said it would continue to bar individuals who engage in deceit and theft.

GE Funding Capital Market Services Inc., a subsidiary of General Electric Capital Corp., does not agree with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s plans to file charges against it in connection with an industry-wide investigation of guaranteed investment contracts and derivatives, but is discussing the matter, including a “potential resolution,” with SEC staff.

Far from serving as the fall guy for the financial crisis, the central bank will emerge with its existing powers intact and enhanced authority over systemically risky companies if the current Senate bill becomes law.

The panel ruled in favor of Mesirow, but panel chairman Richard Belmonte wrote a one-sentence dissenting opinion, in which he said the award “is grossly contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence and the applicable Illinois law.”

Elena Kagan urged the high court to reject an endorsement of the Gartenberg standard.

Vanguard Chairman Emeritus Jack Brennan will represent mutual funds on joint committee.