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Carload Express, Inc., a holding company that manages several rail carriers, filed a petition seeking exemption from prior approval requirements to acquire control of The Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company (MDDE), a Class III rail carrier. The Surface Transportation Board has agreed to grant this exemption, concluding that detailed review is unnecessary and that the acquisition aligns with U.S. rail transportation policy by fostering effective management and reducing regulatory hurdles. The acquisition aims to maintain current service without affecting competition, as MDDE and Delmarva Central Railroad Company, both under Carload’s control, do not serve the same industries and MDDE's connection to the national rail network will remain unchanged. Carload is required to inform shippers along relevant lines about the Board's decision, with the exemption effective from January 31, 2025.

The Executive Order titled "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement" aims to simplify and streamline the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the set of rules governing how the Federal Government buys goods and services. The President has directed that within 180 days, agencies should revise the FAR to remove unnecessary rules, making it more effective and efficient. The goal is to create a procurement system that is less bureaucratic and more aligned with the national interest. Any provisions in the FAR that are not required by law and do not enhance the system's functioning may be eliminated or set to expire within four years unless reviewed and renewed.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has proposed a rule change to eliminate the cap on the fee discount provided to certain investment management entities and their eligible portfolio companies. Previously, there was a maximum limit on the discount, which created unequal fee outcomes for similar companies. By removing this cap, all qualifying companies will uniformly receive a 50% annual fee discount without a maximum limit, promoting fairness and consistency. The change is expected to have minimal impact on overall competition, as only a small percentage of companies qualify for this discount.

The Securities and Exchange Commission published a notice regarding proposed amendments by ICE Clear Europe Limited to its CDS Procedures and CDS Default Management Policy. These changes aim to clarify the requirements for a Clearing Member to be eligible for the CDS Default Committee and to update procedures for managing defaults. The amendments include enhancing participant eligibility, confidentiality obligations, and default management testing procedures. ICE Clear Europe believes these updates will improve default management capabilities and enhance market stability without imposing unnecessary burdens on competition.

The Federal Reserve System has announced a notice concerning several companies seeking approval to become bank holding companies or to acquire control of banks or bank holding companies. These applications are submitted under the Bank Holding Company Act and related regulations. The public can view the applications and related documents at specified Federal Reserve Banks and the Board of Governors' offices. Comments from the public are welcomed but must be submitted by April 2, 2025, and should not include any confidential information that shouldn't be publicly disclosed.

The Cboe EDGX Exchange, Inc. submitted a proposal to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to amend its fee schedule related to logical port fees. The changes involve increasing the monthly fees for various types of ports, including logical ports, spin ports, and bulk quoting ports. The Exchange believes the fee adjustments align with those of similar exchanges and will help improve its market technology and services without burdening competition. The proposal is open for public comments on the SEC's website until April 21, 2025.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced a proposed rule change by Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc., which suggests the creation of the Cboe Timestamping Service. This new service is comprised of two optional market data reports: the Missed Liquidity Report for orders and quotes, and the Cancels Report for canceled orders. The proposed change, which does not impose significant burdens on competition or investors, was filed to immediately take effect, allowing these reports to be available from January 27, 2025. The public can offer comments on this proposal until February 13, 2025.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced a proposed rule change by the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (FICC), which involves updates to its Operational Risk Management Framework. This change aims to reflect recent name changes of groups within the structure and to incorporate nonmaterial edits for clarity. The modifications do not seem to affect competition and intend to enhance the framework's clarity and comprehensiveness. The SEC is seeking comments from the public on the proposed updates by January 16, 2025.

The Securities and Exchange Commission published a notice about a proposed rule change by the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC). This proposal involves updating the Clearing Agency Investment Policy to enhance how different funds are managed and invested. Notably, these changes aim to segregate and independently manage funds from direct and indirect participants to comply with new regulatory requirements. The updates are designed to ensure the safeguarding of these funds and may involve using only safe investments like U.S. Treasuries for certain categories of funds.

The Cboe C2 Exchange, Inc. has announced a proposed change to increase the monthly fee for a 10 Gb physical port, effective immediately as of February 14, 2025. This proposal was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which is now inviting public comments on this change until March 27, 2025. The documents related to this proposal are available on both the Exchange's and SEC's websites. The public is encouraged to share their views on whether the proposed rule change aligns with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.